Incurable Affection
by Rose Northe
Summary: AU, Tidus has been forced to deal with the business of death ever since he was diagnosed with a fatal disease when he meets Yuna, a young woman whose life is falling apart. Will their affection for one another heal or injure them both beyond cure? TxY
1. Five Stages of Grief

**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy X belongs to Square … not me.

Second attempt at a fan fiction, please let me know how it turns out, I'll be hiding under my bed.

I was bored one afternoon when Tears was being slow on me, so I decided to try something different, if you're waiting for an update on Tears, though, it's coming soon! I just got this idea and decided to get it on paper before it drove me insane. But this is sort of an experiment in the making, so please let me know how it is.

Unlike most of my work, this chapter has been written in first person (the other chapters will not be, but I found it more effective this way, please review and let me know what you think).

Also unlike Tears, this has a short prologue that is right below that I decided to include just for funsies.

Incurable Affection 

**Prologue: Nice to Meet You**

I would have never guessed. Honestly, I thought everything was okay.

Sure, I knew that passing out at odd intervals along with those splitting headaches and the occasional blurred perception from my eyes wasn't exactly _normal_, but I would have never thought it was anything serious.

It's something that I've done since I was a child. I've always been subject to being anemic and dizzy, most times fainting dead away, but I always viewed it as my body's response to the world around it, you know, when things get too rough, just drop out for a few moments until you're ready to get back in the game.

Apparently not.

I can't believe I let my co-worker talk me in to seeing a doctor. I don't even like doctors, never trusted them, thought I knew my health better than anyone. I didn't know then that I was dead wrong.

But still, what harm could going to a little doctor appointment really do? It would put the questions of my health to rest, and I could get on with my life. Really, what could those blood tests that they offer prove? They're practically free, why not?

I wish I had had the foresight to just back out. I wish now that I don't know what those blood tests said. I wish everything could just return to normal …

_Hello, my name is Tidus Lanar, I am 19 years old, am half-way through college, and have had hypertension since I was a small child. It's guaranteed that I will have a cerebral hemorrhage. No one knows when it will happen, only that it will, and when it does, it is almost certain that I will die._

_Nice to meet you._

**Chapter One: Five Stages of Grief**

Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance.

I've experienced them all, more than anyone knows.

When the results came in, all I could do for the first week was deny it. I told the doctors that they were wrong, I told them to check again, and they, the great benevolent souls that they are, charged me fifty dollars for the courtesy.

Same results.

Okay, maybe their machine was out of wack. I'll just try the doctor down the street, no sweat. I told no one of my supposed 'condition', perhaps I knew that if I admitted it out loud, that if I stopped trying, it would come true.

So I kept silent. I didn't go to work, only to the doctor, asking the same questions again and again of different faces. All evidence pointed to the conclusion I was desperate to escape. I despised the pitying glances they shot me, I tried to ignore the conversations going on behind their hands. They told me they felt sorry for me, I never knew how fake those words were until now. I vowed never to utter them again.

A doctor, I don't remember which, sat me down and told me the truth point blank.

You're dying.

He told me other things too, but at that moment, all I could concentrate on were those words. My life was over.

To put it mildly, I lost it. I started yelling endlessly, unable to stop. What I yelled I can't even recall, mostly nonsense, I gather. I threatened them, I told them that they were wrong. I said any and everything that came to mind. I can't even recall a time when I was that angry. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew they were right, and I knew that the rage I held toward them was unfounded, but at that time, I didn't care.

Jumbled thoughts ran through my head, garbled messages with no meaning on their own, but begin to make sense once you see them all together.

I'm nineteen, I have a job, classes start two weeks from now. I've been saving my life, putting my social and love lives on hold until I finished college, then I'd have the money to find the woman of my dreams. I've been putting everything off until tomorrow. And now tomorrow isn't coming.

Miraculously, the doctor and his assistants were able to get me under control to finish our little talk.

Take some time off. Notify your loved ones. Get your affairs in order. If any complications arise, call us.

Then they threw me out, and somehow, I managed to find my way home. It was about that time, I believe, that I started in on the phase they don't mention in the five part process. Complete and utter shock.

It incapacitated me successfully for nearly a week, in which time the messages on the answering machine in the corner piled up. At first the messages were only products of mild curiosity, my employer, several of my co-workers, all wondering where I was. But it wasn't long until the idle interest gave in to worry. I was threatened that I would be fired if I didn't respond, but even my employer sounded worried.

Their worry, I believe, was what snapped me out of it. I was able to venture outside my apartment again, but I didn't go far. I attended every mass and service I could, placing my savings into the hands of the church, praying, begging for more time.

I said that I would be a better person, I would help those people stranded on the side of the road, I would donate money every week for starving children, I would do anything.

It didn't help. In fact, it only made me feel selfish and wrong. What could I possibly give for more time? If I am to die, then the time is beyond my control.

The hospitals couldn't help me, the doctors told me to start signing off my possessions and get a funeral in order, the church offered me nothing but small solace. There was good news though, if I changed my ways in the last months of my life I could find peace. That wasn't what I wanted, I want more time, I want a wife, I want a family, I want those golden years. But at the same time, I knew that they weren't mine to ask for.

With this, it was no wonder that I sank into despair. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I unplugged my answering machine. My apartment became a mess, my appearance not much better, and I just sat around contemplating everything and nothing.

I thought about killing myself then and there, but I was simply too scared, and the idea was discarded quickly in favor of a burning obsession with how people will view me when I passed. Will they just move on? Will they stop for a moment? Will they remember me favorably? Will they be glad when I'm gone?

Right there I decided that I wasn't going to let that happen. Finally I was able to get some sleep, and I woke with renewed purpose the next morning.

I sorted my belongings, drafted a will with the help of my newly hired lawyer, and decided that I wanted to be cremated.

The answering machine was plugged in again and messages checked, my employer was called and I found with great relief that they hadn't fired me yet. I called back everyone, fully intending to tell them the nature of my absence.

But for some reason, I just couldn't. I've seen the pity from strangers, but from friends … I just couldn't take it. I wouldn't tell them, and when I was gone, they wouldn't look back in pity of a dying man, they would look back on me with favor and remember good times.

At least that's what I hoped.

If you learned that you were dying, what would you do? As I understand it, most would spend money, go on holidays, to wild parties, and the like, but I've decided to stay right where I am and enjoy the last days of my life.

_Listen to my story… This is my last chance._

---

Author's Note: Hello, I have to admit, this is the hardest thing I even written … Didn't flow well to me, but I'd be very happy if you were to tell me what you thought of it. I'm in the process of determining whether or not I want to continue this story, so any encouragement, criticism, or other reviews or messages you want to leave me will be much appreciated.

Good? Bad? Indifferent?

Here's the deal: Review and I update. Don't review and I still update. Review and I update _faster_.

Rose Northe


	2. Act Normal

**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy is the property of Squaresoft (or Enix, or whoever they are), I don't pretend to own it.

Thank you to FFX-Lover, Cathelina, Rachel XXX, xxRhixx, lenne201, CrimsonOkami, and all my anonymous reviewers! Your encouragement is the reason the story is continuing!

Don't worry, the story is due to pick up in tone, and I'll be sure to clarify my meaning more in the future, if it were all hard and heavy depression, it'd get pretty boring, right? But, without the undertones of depression, I guess there would be no story … hmm, paradox. Anyway, you can expect a goodly amount of depression, but if it ever crosses over into repetitious droning, be sure to let me know ASAP, so I could stop the monkey on the hamster wheel in my brain.

By the way, I usually work in third person-limited perspective, so you can expect a lot of that to be floating about.

Oh, and I found that I'm going to use several characters from FF X-2, sorry, but they just fit so well.

And to clarify, --- and enter mark a break in events, time, and/or perspective, please tell me if it's unclear.

Thank you all again! Enjoy and, as always, please review! I love hearing your opinions!

**Incurable Affection**

**Chapter Two: Act Normal**

The young woman stared fixedly out of the plane window, her thoughts dark, her face set in a determined sort of despairing expression. Here she was on a plane to Zanarkand, a place she had always dreamed of going, and yet, she was miserable.

She always fantasized of leaving Besaid in a burst of holy glory. You know, metaphorical fireworks, cheering, brilliant streamers, blinding lights, the whole nine yards. But no, she didn't leave with her parents crying and wishing her luck and asking her to write everyday. She didn't leave her hometown with simple goodbye from anyone. It wasn't a nice day, the weather was too wet for fireworks, people were all busy sleeping in, streamers would have required money, which she had none of now, and if there were blinding lights she would have fallen deeper into that mud hole on the side of the road.

Here she was, Valedictorian, the very finest, friendless, penniless (the last of her college fund had been spent on this one-way ticket to Zanarkand), no boyfriend, no prospects, and, as of last month, officially an orphan.

Little miss perfect was ruined.

She sighed again and closed her eyes, it was all arranged, she would be living with her cousin. The one she hadn't seen since she was ten. She would be working with her cousin, working her way through college.

But the young woman only had one question in the face of all this. Why go on? Everyone around her had this strange habit of dying terrible deaths, right in front of her. Her dog and the train, her goldfish and the floor, her rabbit, hamster, cat …

… Her parents and that burglary double murder case.

She shook her head, even now she couldn't believe that the police inspectors, and later her psychiatrist, had told her that she was perfectly sane and in great health.

_My parents just died in front of me! Of course I'm not fine! Someone, anyone! I need help!_

But no one would listen, no one wanted to hear it.

Yuna inhaled deeply and breathed on the window, her breath making frosty condensation, then she started meticulously sketching the word 'help' backwards.

As if anyone would see it.

---

Tidus adjusted his jacket a bit, hoping that some measure of neatness would lessen the lecture he would be receiving shortly from his employer. Sighing, he entered the small café as if expecting that some sort of bomb would drop at any moment.

The small shop was called 'Wakka's Café', for those who didn't know it well, but for those who did, it was affectionately termed 'that shop around the corner and to the left'. It was a quaint place that might have had 'café' in the name, but it was far from that. In the restaurant world, it was a sort of jack of all trades.

Wakka, the owner and operator, had originally meant for it to be simply a breakfast place that served tea, coffee, doughnuts, and breakfast, the regular for any café in the city, but it didn't last long. Competition from chain stores and those already in the area put strain on the budget, and soon Wakka had found the store slowly drowning in debt, so, unwilling to give up as he was, he expanded the menu.

Lunch was added, several more employees were hired, then the cycle repeated and a bakery was put in. There were only four employees on the payroll, excluding Wakka and his family: Tidus, who was officially a waiter, but did most anything that needed to be done; Lenne, a kind girl that worked double shifts as both pastry cook and waitress; Kimahri, the stoic regular cook who could make anything but pastries (the poor guy had a touch like a blacksmith, they literally fell apart in his hands); and Rikku, the hyper high school senior that doubled as waitress and part-time cleaning lady.

Wakka had planned to further it by putting in a dinner menu, but his wife, Lulu, had put her foot down and gave the ambitious man an earful.

Tidus nearly chuckled, now that he thought about it, his co-worker Rikku and he had had a good laugh at the spectacle. Lulu, a new mother and resident realist had dug quite a bit into the relatively defenseless dreamer that was her husband. She had demanded that he stopped thinking of such a thing, to think of their child and home, which resided just upstairs and "Get your bloody act together!".

Rikku had laughed for minutes on end, Kimahri had smirked, and Lenne had blushed.

_Good times_, the young man mused, his hand hovering over the handle to the door. His light expression darkened as his limb came into contact with the cool metal, _Times that would never come again._

He shook his head violently, desperately trying to keep his mind from the loop it was heading for. Of late, he had often found himself thinking about himself and his life in the past tense, it was disturbing but he couldn't seem to stop, as if he was unconsciously trying to separate himself from the situation.

_Get a hold of yourself and just act normal._

How was he supposed to act normal with what he now knew? How was it that he had suddenly seemed to forget what normal was?

Tidus sighed, stalling wouldn't help now and maybe being on time for work would lessen the earful he was sure to get, maybe his co-workers could give him some hints on how to act nonchalant. Maybe he'd even get off easy …

Not until hell froze over.

But he might as well go in seeing as the door handle was already in his grasp, so with more caution than was necessary, he slowly opened the door. Tidus winced slightly as the bell above the entryway jingled slightly, and had to suppress the sudden urge to grab it and rip it out of the wall. He seriously was about to give into the guilty desire, his hand extending toward the offending object, when a shout broke up his thoughts.

"Tidus! Where have you been!"

Said man turned to find Rikku, the blonde girl out of breath and pointing at him with a shaking index finger pointing right at him, her person flanked by none other than the chronically shy Lenne, who bowed politely.

"It is good to see you, good morning, Senior Tidus, I hope you are well."

Usually her formal civility would have irked his temper, but now it really didn't, it just didn't seem so annoying anymore, it was just her way, he guessed, and that was that. Tidus nearly snorted, it this what they meant when they said he would grow to accept the world around him?

Tidus flashed a sort of half-smile and mimicked Lenne's gesture, to the shock of both girls.

"Good morning, Lenne," he responded equally as formally.

Rikku cocked her head slightly, walking over to the man and, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, placed the back of her hand to his forehead. A moment passed and the girl frowned, a minute ended and she thwacked him upside the head.

"What's wrong with you?"

"You're one to talk!" Tidus exclaimed, a hand protectively over the abused place. "What's your problem!"

Rikku raised an eyebrow, "You were gone for three weeks, Tidus. Three weeks! I don't think you've ever been late for work before, then out of the blue, you just up and disappear! Do you know what I went through, you jerk!"

Tidus backed away out of her arm's reach, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to worry you!"

Lenne stepped back, one hand to her mouth, nervously watching her fuming co-worker, as the younger woman approached Tidus.

"I … was not … worried!" Rikku's face was suddenly very close to his own as she commenced to berate him. "I had to cover for you everyday! You have your job because I allowed you to keep it!"

Time seemed to freeze for a moment, then the man stumbled back against the wall, "Uh … s-sorry …"

Rikku leaned back away from him, "You're unbelievable, you know that? What, were you trying to get fired?"

He shook his head emphatically, "No … I just needed time to think."

"Time to think?" Rikku asked, surprised. "Normally, you don't take time to breathe, and now you take three weeks to think?" The girl's tone softened considerably, "Are you alright?"

There it was. A perfect chance to tell the truth. He should tell her, he had to tell her, it would only hurt more if he didn't. So just open your mouth and …

Choke.

Tidus couldn't seem to get anything out of his mouth, no words, no truth, he couldn't even formulate a lie.

Again, the girl's impassive face took on a concerned frown.

_C'mon, Tidus, tell her something!_

"I-I … I went to the doctor …"

"And?"

"… And he said I'm fine …"

"Oh," Rikku straightened. "Good."

Lenne, momentarily forgotten, piped up at that moment, "It is good to know you are in good health."

The man nodded numbly, but couldn't manage anything further, ashamed at himself, but yet praying that they wouldn't ask more of him, and, lucky for him, Wakka chose that moment to enter the dining area from the backrooms.

"Rikku, what're ya standing about for?" Only a slight twinge of annoyance was in his voice, and Tidus could see clearly from the man's relieved expression that he was glad to see the younger man back again. "I thought you were going to pick up some relative of yours, ya?"

Said girl looked from her boss to Tidus and back again, getting the hint that the red-head wanted to talk in private with their newly returned compatriot, and nodding, walking away to hang up her apron in the back, only moments later coming out with her purse, ready to hail a taxi to the airport.

It only took a slight glance from Wakka to get Lenne to vacate the premises, and that left a nervous Tidus alone with his potentially volatile employer.

---

Yuna sat waiting on her upright suitcase, tapping a foot for lack of anything else to do. Her cousin had told her to wait on the pickup ramp of the airport, obviously she didn't want to hail two taxis, and thus wanted her to be right there when the car arrived.

The woman sighed noisily, Rikku was already a half hour late and the heat was getting unbearable.

For the hundredth time, Yuna tried half-heartedly to muss her hair into some sort of recognizable style, and for the hundredth time, she failed miserably. She was a pretty girl with the promise of becoming a beautiful woman, or at least people told her, right now she just felt like she was about to melt into the curb. She gathered her shoulder length brown hair in one hand, trying to pile it on top of her head in an attempt to alleviate some of the heat. No such luck.

She was just in the act of straightening her skirt, when an excited voice called out, "Yunie!"

The woman smiled a bit, it looked like Rikku hadn't changed, even after close to ten years of not seeing each other. A taxi pulled around, Rikku's head hanging out the window, a large grin plastered about her face.

The moment the car stopped was the moment Rikku was out and by her cousin's side, "Sorry I'm late, Yunie, got held up at work."

Yuna picked up the suitcase, only to have her cousin snatch it from her hands, "Held up at work?" The girl couldn't help but be a little cheered by her cousin's disposition and obvious happiness at her presence. "I do hope there was nothing wrong …"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Rikku waved her off as she loaded the case into the trunk. "My co-worker is just getting himself chewed out about now."

"Is he going to get fired?"

"Oh no, I don't think so, Mr. Wakka likes the boy …" a sudden idea struck the younger girl. "But, the café could always use more help …"

---

" … and if you ever do that again I will not hesitate to fire you, do you understand!"

Tidus winced as Wakka finished his tirade (the latter half being milder than the first, as expected), watching as the elder man sat down at the bar, breathing like a winded rhinoceros, not surprising from the volume of his voice, sustained for several minutes on end.

"So, this means I'm not fired?"

Wakka looked up at him, a grin spreading on his face, "Get to work, brudda. And don't pull a stunt like that again, Rikku was about to storm your apartment."

Tidus looked thoughtful, walking into the backrooms and reemerging with his apron on, "So she was worried?"

Wakka cracked an eye open, "You know it, she's too easy to read sometimes, but she's a good girl, a good girl."

The other didn't respond to his boss, maybe there was no response to something like that. Somehow, that made Tidus feel better, when he went missing, people inquired about him, they were even worried. Perhaps there was hope for him after all.

Said man took the break in conversation to look about at the empty tables that would have normally held paying customers, "Slow day?"

His boss sighed, "Slow week. They put a new chain store in, it opened last week."

"Lose customers?"

"Of course," Wakka leaned back, "they'll return though, they always do, right when we're bankrupt, they'll return."

Tidus nodded, feeling ashamed of his absence, if he hadn't been so busy moping, he would have been able to help …

Both his thoughts and their conversation was disturbed as the door swung open to admit a grinning Rikku, who, in one hand, clutched the 'help wanted' sign that Lulu had hung up last week (without her husband's knowledge, by the look on the man's face).

When no one said anything, the girl waggled the sign, "I have the perfect person for you!"

Wakka looked at Tidus with a bemused expression and the blonde man shrugged, a slight smile spreading on his face, then back at Rikku, "Really now? If I'm not mistaken, you're already employed here, aren't you?"

The girl pouted and put her hands on her hips, "Not me. My cousin."

Their boss rolled his eyes, "Ah, and why should I hire your cousin when I've already got your expert waitress ability?"

She had just opened her mouth to reply when another girl stumbled in, a suitcase in hand, "It's alright, Rikku. I'm sure I can find work somewhere else, don't stress your employer."

Tidus looked up from his work, past Rikku, his smile fading. There, stumbling from the entrance down the stairs was an angel. She was dressed in a conservative white kimono top with yellow obi and blue pleated skirt and was sweating and disheveled from the heat and journey here, but she was beautiful, so beautiful.

She reached out one arm to support herself, the hand meeting with a decorative pillar to support herself, and her gaze lifted, fixing on him. Time slowed and cerulean met with the bi-colored orbs.

---

**Author's Notes:** Second chapter done. Sorry for the wait, my life is getting hectic and I had some problems deciding how to start it. Yes, Tidus does work as a waiter (I was playing with the idea of making him a ramen vendor, though). And Tidus is sadly not a Blitzball player, but that doesn't mean he doesn't play Blitzball.

Please tell me what you thought. All reviews are welcome, you're here anyway, so why not click that little button and leave a comment?

Rose Northe


	3. A Talk with Rikku

**Disclaimer: **Well, I own the fingers I'm using to type this story, and I also own the brain that came up with this idea for a fan fiction, but beyond that … I own nothing of the characters and game, which belongs to Square, and this is just for fun and the betterment of my writing skills.

I'm so sorry for the late update …

Hello again, and thank you to Crimson Okami, gurlo09, Rikku's twin, TgIiDgUiS, Hylian Princess, Cathelina, and Rachel XXX for their encouragement and reviews! This update is for you guys!

And thank you especially to Cantelon, I really appreciate your vote of confidence and am very flattered that you like my story so much. You have me figured out already, you know, I love writing stories and I started posting here so that I could share them with other people. So, without (much) further ado, here is the chapter you were looking for!

Please enjoy, and please leave comments, I would be honored to hear your opinions and take any advice you give me. I only seek to make my writing and this story better, so please, just leave me some hints of what you expect and want from this fiction.

**Incurable Affection**

**Chapter Three: A Talk with Rikku**

It felt as if something was weighted on the young woman's chest, like reality was slowly squeezing in and she was helpless to stop it.

Yuna felt terrible, she had just arrived barely an hour ago and already she knew that she was to be a burden to her cousin. Rikku looked and acted happy to see her, but who knew what she was really thinking? And now the very same girl that had had her long lost cousin dumped on her, was advocating her hire to the workplace she already worked at.

Why? Why should Rikku? What could she possibly gain from this?

Yuna flinched as the red head, who she assumed to be her cousin's employer, spoke up, "Really now? If I'm not mistaken, you're already employed here, aren't you?"

Rikku huffed a bit and her face formed into a pout, "Not me. My cousin."

The man looked lazily at the girl, his eyes rolling as if he were placating a needy child, "Ah, and why should I hire your cousin when I've already got your expert waitress ability?"

That solved that. She was a bother, she had just gotten here and already her presence was straining the relationship between Rikku and her employer. Why did she even get on that plane? She must've known that she would only cause problems.

Yuna was slightly surprised to hear her own voice speak up, "It's alright, Rikku. I'm sure I can find work somewhere else, don't stress your employer."

Big mistake.

The occupants of the room directed their eyes at her now, the one thing she had been hoping to avoid. Keep your head down and you'll be ok. Be invisible and you'll be better off. Rikku looked at her in shock, her employer was staring at her as if he had just realized that she had the power of speech. Yuna's eyes shifted slightly and she felt her body stiffen.

A boy perhaps a little older than her stood behind the bar, clad in the unmistakable waiter's uniform. He had blonde tousled hair that stuck out in all directions and naturally tan skin only served to accentuate blue eyes. The young man was not a muscular person, though thin and seeming in moderately good shape. He was … cute, somewhere between boyish looks and handsome maturity. It suited him.

His azure gaze held her in place, perhaps the only thing that prevented her from falling to her knees under the eyes of the others in the room. The boy's eyes were clear and honest, a window to the kindness that dwelled in his soul, but there was also sorrow. She couldn't place it, he just looked sad.

It wasn't the kind of sad you would see on the face of a person who had lost something, but, rather, the sadness of one who was going to lose something. She remembered the inverse of that look, the sadness at seeing what has been lost. Yuna had seen it many times on her own face.

Maybe it was because she felt a kindred spirit in him, maybe it was because he seemed to be a nice person, maybe it was even because he was handsome, but she sensed immediately that she could trust the young man.

---

Tidus was transfixed by her eyes alone. She was scared, that was obvious to everyone in the room, and, as idealistic as he later thought it was, he had the sudden urge to alleviate her distress. Something like the fairytales, he supposed, except there wasn't an evil witch and the fire breathing dragon was nothing compared to his wife.

The girl seemed so out of place, so hesitant. Definitely the damsel in distress.

Taking a deep breath, the young man spoke up, "Wakka, you know we can always use more waitresses."

Said man looked over at his employee in shock, no words coming from his mouth, but the meaning on his face clear enough.

_Since when do you stick your neck out for anyone?_

A long silence stretched between the occupants, all eyes on Tidus, who was starting to think he had made a mistake. Maybe she really didn't want to work here and he had just butted in where he wasn't welcome?

The young man squeezed his eyes shut. Perfect. He starts out his 'new life' pledging to help mankind, or at least the people of Wakka's Café, but by midday he's already managed to make himself into a nosy jerk.

Wakka seemed dumbstruck, everyone knew that Tidus usually didn't request, recommend, demand, or really ask for anything that wasn't related to the people he was acquainted with, and honestly, he didn't know how to take it.

"Oh, let her have a job," a low feminine voice drawled from the somewhat hidden stairs around the corner, followed moments later by Lulu herself, wearing a plain black off the shoulder dress and her normal scowl.

The woman's husband immediately stood, "L-Lu …"

Lulu looked at him icily, "Look at the girl, you're scared her to death, you big oaf. And what's more, you're going to wake Vidina up if you don't come to a decision soon. Tidus is right," she inclined her head to said boy in greeting, "we can always use more helping hands, let her on for at least a trial basis."

"But she doesn't—"

"Wakka," the woman cut him off abruptly, "it doesn't take much talent to become a waitress. Seriously, if it did, you wouldn't be able to get a job at your own café."

Rikku exchanged a glance with Tidus, both eyebrows waggling, and the boy managed a weak smile. The girl then looked back at her cousin, who was still frozen by the doorstep, "I think you're hired."

Yuna smiled gently and caught Tidus's eye, her mouth forming the words 'thank you'.

The boy nodded, looking away, suddenly shy.

Lulu addressed the new employee from the other end of the room, in the process of taking her husband upstairs, perhaps to scold him further, "Just watch your seniors, they'll show you the ropes. Open the shop for business, Rikku."

Rikku, not wanting to anger the older woman, scrambled to obey, then took her cousin by the wrist, pulling both her and her luggage through the swinging door to the kitchens and employee common area.

Tidus sighed and reached into the moneybox locked beneath the counter and withdrew a fresh roll of gil. He distributed it in the cash register, taking care to organize it carefully, knowing full well that the swarm of businessmen and women would be stampeding to their jobs in the eight a.m. rush. And with the knowledge of that came the certainty that he wouldn't be able to say anything other than 'Thank you, come again' until his lunch break.

---

Yuna almost fell over as her cousin ripped the suitcase from her hands, placing it in a corner of the employee's common room. She was infinitely confused. An hour ago she had arrived homeless, jobless, and with no family, and now, suddenly, she would be living in Rikku's apartment, was a waitress, and had a relative willing to lay her job on the line to accommodate her cousin. Even a man she had never met before had spoken on her behalf, and, all in all, the people of Wakka's Café seemed like fun people, maybe even future friends. To say that Yuna was disoriented would, in fact, be an understatement.

Confused, but happy.

Rikku waved a hand in front of her face, startling the young woman out of her thoughts, "Ok, now that you're part of the Café family, you must now don …" the girl turned to a locker and pulled out a spare uniform of hers, "the stiff and ugly uniform."

Yuna allowed a small giggle as she observed her cousin's sarcasm, and, contrary to Rikku's rather colorful description of the required attire, she didn't find it half bad. It was a simple design, white long sleeved button up shirt, black skirt that reached to the knees, standard hose and black heeled shoes, along with a black waist apron to carry straws and notepads in.

"You'll have to wear one of my spares for today, it should fit, and," she looked down then stripped off her uniform shoes, "you can wear these. I don't have any other shoes like these, but I'll be standing behind the register for most of my shifts, so you don't have to worry."

Rikku shoved the bundle of clothes and shoes into the other's hands, Yuna, still slightly stunned by her cousin's fast outfitting, took them but hardly knew what to do with them.

"So, what are you waiting for?" the girl put her hands on her hips, tapping a foot.

"Oh … yes, yes, I'm sorry," Yuna mumbled, bowing to the other, who seemed startled at the action.

"No, no, no. Apologizing when you have no need to is Lenne's department," Rikku sighed. "C'mon Yunie, you have to be confident."

Confused, but eager to please, Yuna nodded, "I'll try."

"That's the spirit," the blonde girl commended, then pushed the girl toward a small bathroom in the back. "Now, get dressed."

Yuna nodded, scrambling to obey. As Rikku had predicted, the uniform fit very well, except that the zipper stuck, a problem she had to request help with.

"What did I do to this stupid skirt?" Rikku demanded of no one in particular ushering her cousin onto a couch in the common room, still fussing with the zipper.

A good minute passed as she pulled and twisted at the metal thing before she took a short break to blow on her reddening fingers, which, ironically, was the moment someone decided to enter the common room. Yuna squeaked a bit, holding the skirt tight about her waist, and prayed that it wouldn't be that young man …

For her sake, it wasn't, but instead a man of towering height and solid build. He sported light, almost colorless hair, yellow eyes, dark skin, and a chef's uniform. An unusual combination, to say the least, especially with the momentarily unnoticed goatee.

"Kimahri!" Rikku cried, looking first shocked, then angry. "Yuna's changing in here!"

"Who Yuna?" the man croaked, his voice belaying the fact that he was a man of few words and his stance showing that he was a tolerant person despite that.

Rikku gestured wildly in Yuna's general direction, "Yuna! The new waitress!"

Said girl looked up at the new arrival, careful to keep her skirt closed, "Uh … nice to meet you …" Yuna groped for an honorific that could fit him, "Sir Kimahri."

He nodded to her, ignoring the other girl.

"Don't you get it? Yunie is changing clothes!"

Kimahri looked at her as if she were a small petulant child, "Common—"

"I know it's a common room! But we're using it now! Go … stand by the grill and wait for the one in a million oddball that asks for a burger for breakfast!"

The man gave her a sour look, "Grill not used only for burgers."

"Steak then!"

"Breakfast food."

"Who eats breakfast anyway?"

"I do," Yuna piped up, causing her cousin to look at her in shock and the man to bare his teeth in a somewhat animalistic grin. "Well, I do."

Rikku sighed, promptly changing the subject to keep at least some of her dignity intact, "Well, if you'll just give us a moment …"

Kimahri, finally getting the hint, stalked out, and Rikku went back to working on the zipper, grumbling about rude people. But the girl didn't get very far at all, the door opening once again to admit Lenne, who bowed politely to them.

"Kimahri said Rikku was having trouble …"

"I give up! Why does news travel so darn fast in this place? I bet even rock-headed Tidus …"

"Tidus?" Yuna questioned, testing the name on her tongue.

"Yes, the guy out there at the counter."

Yuna looked down, biting her lip and Lenne walked around to her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Yuna, I would have brought a spare uniform if I knew that we'd have a new employee."

"It's alright," Yuna assured her, waving a hand. "I didn't even think I would be employed at the end of the day, how can I expect you to?"

Lenne smiled slightly, nodding, "Now, let's see if we can't fix this problem of yours." She turned Yuna about to fiddle with the zipper.

Rikku snorted slightly, "I warn you, it's a tough nut to cr—"

"All done."

Yuna stood, slipping her feet into the high heels, "Thank you, Lenne."

"No problem, Miss Yuna, allow me to show you around."

"Thank you again, and please, just call me Yuna."

The blonde girl stood in utter shock as the others left, then shook her head violently, slipped her feet into her sneakers, and following, calling out for them to wait.

---

Tidus glanced back when Lenne, followed closely by the new girl and Rikku, walked into the bar area from the door that fed into the employee's space behind the bar and cash register. Losing his bearings momentarily, the boy stared shamelessly at the girl, and only realizing it when she happened to meet his gaze and blush. Rikku stood close by, watching the proceedings with her hands on her hips, and making mental notes.

Having been caught, the young man immediately went back to the register, busying himself with recounting the bills he had already triple-checked. In the corner of his eye, he saw Rikku tap the pastry cook on the shoulder and whisper in her ear. Lenne seemed to agree and walked to the register, leaving a bewildered Yuna and a smirking blonde in her wake.

"I'm going to cover for you, Tidus," she stated solemnly when she reached him.

"Wh-What?" he asked, honestly not expecting anything of that nature.

"Rikku said you had something to attend to."

"I do?" Tidus looked over at the girl questioningly, he received an unflinching glare in return and looked back to the woman standing in front of him. "Oh, I do."

Lenne nodded and both her and Yuna watched as Rikku motioned him into the back room.

"What was that all about?" Yuna's soft voice came.

"No idea."

---

"Step into my office," Rikku said, her voice leaving no room for argument, and Tidus obeyed, walking before her into one of the storage rooms.

The boy waited uneasily, getting the feeling he had done something terribly wrong, event though he couldn't recall anything in particular.

"You," she started, shaking a finger at him and pausing, he thought, for dramatic effect, "were sizing my cousin up."

Whatever Tidus might have expected, it wasn't that, and thus, didn't have a prepared response (or excuse). Without words, the young man just stood there, his mouth hanging slightly agape.

"I knew it!" Rikku cried, her voice carrying a surprising amount of anger.

"Wait a minute …" he tried to interrupt, but had no luck.

"She's my cousin! My kind-hearted, naïve cousin!"

"I wasn't—"

"How dare you! You … You … You wolf in sheep's clothing!"

"I didn't—"

"Oh, my poor innocent cousin, what will she do with you hanging around?"

"Rikku!"

The girl looked up at him, "Yes?"

"I. Am. Not. Interested. In. Your. Cousin."

"Oh …"

"Do you get it?"

"But Yuna's smart, and pretty, and nice…"

Tidus raised an eyebrow, "What are you getting at?"

Rikku balled her fists and looked up at him, tears building at the corners of her eyes and she demanded, "Why not!"

The young man was taken aback, speechless.

"Can't you see she's lonely!"

Tidus took a moment to gather himself together, then dropped a hand to her head, making her look up at him, "It's okay. I can see that."

Rikku sniffled, "She needs someone to talk to, confide in."

"Why not you?"

The girl looked away, wiping her eyes on a sleeve, "She knows me, and doesn't. I know her, and I don't know her. She's changed, I can tell."

Tidus tried to get a good look at her face, "What do you want me to do?"

"Be nice to her, please, just be her friend…"

The boy hesitated then brushed the girl's tears away, making her look up at him. When he was sure he had her attention, he nodded solemnly, "Alright."

Rikku brightened substantially, stepping away as his hand dropped back to his side.

Tidus almost laughed, "You're bipolar, you know?"

She grinned up at him, "I know."

---

**Author's Notes: **Once again, I apologize for the long wait. Is there something you wish I'd do more? Do better? Stop doing? Please tell me.

I have failed to mention that this is the first ever non-fantasy drama piece I have ever tried, and frankly, I'm groping about in the dark. If you have any suggestions at all, I'd be glad to hear them. But, acknowledging that, chapters are often liable to be edited (this chapter especially). I'll have a notice in my profile or on the actual story whenever I do anything like that, and it will probably never be anything drastic. So, just thought I should let you know.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

Rose Nothe


	4. Coffeehouse Psychology

**Disclaimer: **I … own … nothing …

Hello and thank you for your support and reviews, Rikku's Twin, Cathelina, xxRhixx, Rachel XXX, TgIiDgUiS, Hylian Princess, Acoustical Trance, CrimsonOkami, Sage of Downtown Hyrule, Hijozu, and all my anonymous reviewers! I apologize for the long wait, things have been absolutely crazy around here.

Forgot to mention, Hiya, you asked about Auron, and I assure you, I'm not leaving him out! I already have him an assigned part, he'll show up soon ... As for Auron x Rikku, I've only recently become aware of the pairing and I really haven't formed an opinion yet. But now that you've mentioned it, there probably will be at least a one-sided element added in (maybe more, I'm not sure yet). Currently though, I want to keep all doors open for this fiction, so I can promise Tidus x Yuna, but the other pairings are up for grabs at this moment.

Also, yet another note, recently I've been playing around with allusions. Yes, in my spare time I sometimes play with literary elements (this story came from me playing with dramatic irony). While planning and getting this chapter together, I decided to add allusions that tied to the game. It makes it more interesting, I think, and ties it closer to the game. Let me know what you think.

**Important Note**: Coffeehouse Psychology was an idea that I made up from my own knowledge and other research, which was made expressly for this story. Please let me know if any part of it offends you in any way, believe me, the last thing I want to do is offend anyone.

Please enjoy!

**Incurable Affection**

**Chapter Four: Coffeehouse Psychology**

"Cocoa … Strawberry … Mocha … French Vanilla … Irish Cream …" Yuna recited, her finger trailing along the variously flavored tubes that were labeled with some sort of archaic language that no one could seem to decipher, " … um … Raspberry … Mint … um … Cho nuts?"

"That's 'Coconut'," Lenne corrected, supervising the other girl's crash course on coffee blending.

"Oh, of course," Yuna said quickly, turning back to the tubes and groping to remember the last few. "Cherry …"

"Lenne!" Tidus's head poked into the backroom from his post at the counter. "Chocolate Cherry Tart!"

"Chocolate Cherry Tart?" the woman looked shocked. "Someone likes rich breakfasts…"

Tidus shrugged, "Well, that's the way they want it."

Lenne nodded slightly, then looked back at Yuna, "Oh, I'm sorry, please excuse me for a little while."

The other girl smiled weakly, still nervous, and watched her go. Moments passed and all was silent until she suddenly realized that she should at least be doing _something_, it wasn't right to get paid for standing about.

Yuna bit her lip, _he _was just behind that swinging door. What would he do if she asked for help? Would he think her a complete idiot for not knowing how to make coffee (a practice that, until her hire a mere day ago, she had never thought about)?

She shook her head violently, what was she thinking? It had been a day since she arrived and he hadn't said two more words to her. Was she a charity case of his? Help the poor sniffling loser on the sidewalk?

"No," she whispered, not realizing that it was actually vocal until it reached her own ears. Yuna took in a shaking breath, trying to organize her thoughts.

His name was Tidus. That was all she knew about him. Did she want to know more?

Yes. Yuna exhaled. Yes, she did want to know him. But how was she supposed to talk to him? Look at him? Act around him?

She just didn't know. Even at Besaid, she had never known quite what was considered 'acceptable' in her behavior. What was friendly? What was flirting? What was comradery? It was at a higher degree now, her uncertainty had followed her from Besaid, and only grew over the trip.

This was a new place, a new home, and a new life. How was she supposed to deal with it? Only one thing stood out to her, she didn't want to screw it up.

Everything was compressed into this moment. This was the beginning, if she was to do something, it had to be now.

Yuna straightened the skirt of her new uniform, her hands brushed over the white material of her blouse, then migrated to her hair, tightening the clip that Rikku had let her use this morning.

Suddenly the smooth metal of the door was beneath her hand, she could see the blonde hair of the young man through the window, she was going to do it, she was going to …

The door shoved open from the opposite side of its own accord, slamming into the stationary girl and nearly sending her sprawling.

"Oh my gosh!" Rikku cried out, grabbing Yuna's arm and steadying her. "Watch out for the door, Yunie!"

The brunette shook her head to clear it, her vision focusing on the still open door, and the person visible on the other side of it, his blue eyes boring into her.

"Good thing I set the plates down!" the blonde girl chirped, laughing a bit as she bounced on her sneakers (which she had worn even though she now had full command of her high heels back). "If I hadn't, they'd be all over the floor by now!"

Blood rose in Yuna's cheeks and her eyes widened as a slight smile crossed the man's face before he turned back to the register. The door finally closed, hiding him from sight. The young woman hung her head, he thought she was useless and clumsy now for sure …

"Why so down?"

Yuna returned her attention to her cousin, trying to formulate a sentence, but, even though she hadn't said a word, Rikku seemed to understand.

"Oh, him? Don't worry about him. He's broken his fair share of plates."

Or maybe she didn't quite get it.

---

Tidus sighed as he turned from the door, utterly confused. Rikku told him to be friendly with her, talk to her, but, well, just now she had looked at him as if he just crawled out of a hole in the earth.

It was disheartening.

If he had been just a little braver, perhaps he would have gone in there himself and helped her. It was the perfect opportunity to get to know her; in fact, it was almost seemed set up for that purpose. At this hour of the morning not many people sat down to be waited on, instead proceeding straight to the register, and thus, Rikku was sitting idle. She could operate the register, giving him the freedom to go back there and talk to her.

A perfect opportunity … one he had wasted.

---

"Now, Yunie, from the top!"

"Alright … Cocoa, strawberry, mocha—"

"That's all well and good, but where's the whiskey, the hard liquor?"

"What? … W-we have that?" Yuna started frantically leafing through the tubes again, not noticing the grin on Rikku's face.

"It's a joke, Yuna," the girl patted the other's back, urging Yuna to look up. "It's okay, you just need to slow down. Tome wasn't built in a day, you know."

"That's Rome."

"Rome, eh?" Rikku hopped up onto one of the counters, crossing her legs and leaning back, a mock thoughtful look on her face. "No wonder people make fun of me when I say that…"

The other woman shook her head and twisted her hands nervously, "But Rome was destroyed in a day."

"Really? A day? Bummer …"

"We're not talking about ancient mythology, though. This is real."

Rikku frowned at the thoughtful expression on her cousin's face, seeing the beginnings of mourning upon her face. She bit her lip then pushed herself off the counter, "Okay! Now, I'm supposed to teach you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

"But you were teaching me …"

"No, no!" Rikku grinned brightly. "I mean the important stuff!"

"Important, this is important, Rikku," Yuna said, a little confused.

The blonde shook her head, "Look, Yunie, if worse comes to worse you can just taste what's inside, it's not like we aren't restocked every week." To prove her point, she reached back, compressing one of them so that it released a few drops onto a finger, then stuffed it in her mouth, scrunching her face this way and that, as if tasting a fine wine. "Mnh … cherry."

Yuna couldn't help but smile, "So, what is this 'important stuff'?"

Rikku beamed, "A little thing I call Coffeehouse Psychology."

"Coffeehouse … Psychology?"

"Yes, of course," the girl turned to Yuna, an index finger held in the air and eyes closed, as if reciting something very close to her heart. "The science dealing with the mind and with mental and emotional processes and behaviors of the customers of this fine establishment."

Yuna blinked once … twice, "What?"

"Oh, come on, I've been working and living here alone ever since I left Bikanel," she stated, spitting the word of her former home with a small amount of venom.

"I heard about that … why did you leave?"

Rikku seemed to sober even further, "Father … well, Father wanted me to be something I didn't want to be. He wanted to run my life and he doesn't have the right," her hands clenched into fists. "I'm my own person and I'm going to make my life here."

The other girl almost took a step back, never had she heard Rikku speak so seriously before, that little girl in Bikanel had grown up.

"Anyway," Rikky turned back to her cousin, smiling once more, "I've been working here for about three years now, ever since Wakka opened this shop, how could I help but not develop a thesis in that time?"

"Thesis?" Yuna nearly laughed at the sudden change in mood, puzzling over how one would develop a thesis in a coffee shop.

"Yes, I'm rather proud of it too, it took quite a lot of observing to get the job done."

"Observing?" the brunette shook her head. "I think most people just work here for the pay."

Rikku sighed, "It wasn't as if I was _trying _to write a research paper or anything like that, it was just, after a while, you start to notice patterns in behavior and after that you just connect the dots with little similarities."

Yuna smiled, "So tell me about it."

That seemed to be precisely the go ahead that the other had been waiting for.

"Well, let's start with breakfast."

"Breakfast?"

"Yes, exactly, the menu for lunch is way too large and confusing. Breakfast is simple."

Yuna, still slightly shell-shocked, allowed her cousin to drag her from the backroom through the door and behind the counter, standing nearly toe-to-toe with Tidus, who raised an eyebrow.

"Don't mind us, Tidus," Rikku chirped. "Just showing Yunie the ropes."

Thankfully, he seemed to accept that, and went back to his business, but still seeming to watch them out of the corner of his eye.

The blonde girl ushered her cousin to the left of the door, just in front of the small window that Kimahri and Lenne used to place finished food on the counter for customer pickup, the two girls just out of the customers' line of sight. Yuna was glad that it was a fairly large area behind the bar, that way she wouldn't be getting in the cashier's way anymore than need be.

"Look," Rikku gestured to the currently occupied tables. "First off, most people take their coffee for take out, but there are the few oddballs that eat in. From this evidence you can surmise that they either are unhappy with their job."

"How?" Yuna asked, squinting as she tried to see what the other girl was seeing.

"Look, do you see any smiles?"

Rikku was right, none wore smiles. Yuna nodded understanding.

"But there are exceptions to that, some, they're far and few between, look totally at ease. Like, hmm," her eyes scanned the crowd, then she gestured to a man that was reclining easily as he read a newspaper, sipping from his coffee at regular intervals and looking all around pleased with himself, "him. He's obviously not unhappy and seems quite wealthy, and so, he's at the other end of the spectrum and is happy with his job. And successful too if the suit is anything to go by. You can tell the difference in _why_ they're here. Like him, he looks important and also looks like he knows he's important, and thus, doesn't feel the need to rush to work. As for the others, they are unwilling to go to work and so they spend their breakfast here. Either that or they're unemployed."

Yuna nodded to show she understood.

"Now, on to the actual food. From what I've seen, the quote on quote normal employee will order anything from plain coffee to a cappuccino, nothing too extravagant, you know, and with it they'll have something like a donut or a piece of toast. Not much for a breakfast, but it's something to keep them from passing out on the job."

The brunette cocked her head slightly, processing the information at her own pace.

"As for the lazy employee, you'll find them buying anything from one to three cups of coffee, which can be anything from a cappuccino and frappuccino on up to full out chocolate sundae along with something more than just toast, the most common being a box of donuts."

The other girl nibbled at her lip, "How do you know they aren't getting some of that for someone else?"

"Good question," Rikku grinned. "The answer is in the utensils. Your first clue that they aren't going to eat all of it is if they ask for several plates, but the real dead giveaway is when they ask for the cardboard multiple drink holder."

"Why?" Yuna inquired, a little curious.

"Well, most seem to figure that they don't need it if they're going to just eat it themselves, maybe they even have cup holders in their car, but it's sure fire that they aren't going to share. Oh, and if they ask from a cold drink without extra utensils that usually means that they know that they'll drink the hot ones first and the cold drink will keep itself cold, or at least cool, until which time it is to be devoured."

Tidus glanced sideways at them as he handed a ticket to a customer who had obviously ordered something from the grill and had to wait for it to be made.

"Last, but not least, we have the super worker," Rikku continued, unperturbed by the stare she got from the customer. "Generally, you can expect them to get something painfully simple. I mean, something you are ashamed to use the fresh beans for. Most common, it's either decaff or regular coffee, no bells and whistles, just straight black coffee."

"What about food?" the other asked, cocking her head a little in interest.

"They don't get food, either already ate breakfast or figure that they won't pass out from malnutrition."

Yuna nodded her understanding as her eyes followed a newly arrived customer as he strode easily to the counter, offering Tidus a few gil even before ordering, his gruff voice issuing from a slightly weathered mouth that was set in a clear cut frown, "Coffee. Black."

Rikku had frozen beside her, obviously recognizing the man, and Yuna, wanting to get some clue as to this effect he had on her cousin, studied said man in more depth.

He was a mid-sized man, not exactly tall, but not short either, well built and looking for all the world like he had been through hell in his life. But, despite that, he seemed to have come through it just fine … well, not counting the scar over his right eye. He wore sunglasses even though he was inside, a pointless thing to do, but it seemed to suit him. A rumpled business suit covered him from head to toe in the default black and white, and Yuna even thought she saw a holster, but made nothing of it.

The man was not young by any stretch of the imagination, but, somehow, the eternal five o'clock shadow and salt and pepper hair only served to enhance the overall charm and mystery of this man.

Yuna looked over at her cousin again, seeing the wide green eyes fix on him, taking in every detail as she bit her lip, watching him as Tidus ducked near the window, retrieved his order, and handed the other man the cup and his spare change, then took his break. She continued to stare as he walked out, her hands wringing together.

It was several moments after he had gone that Yuna finally worked up the courage to question her cousin, "Who was he?"

"Sir Auron," Rikku answered breathlessly, and with not another word, she stalked into the backroom, allowing the door to swing after her.

Yuna started to follow her when a soft voice from the window stopped her, "When she gets this way, it's best to just let her have a minute."

The girl turned back, looking at the pastry cook who was leaning on the delivery window, "Do you know what that was about?"

"No one knows for sure," she said offhandedly,

"Tell me."

She looked up at over at the other girl, "All she's ever said on the subject is that he helped her." Her tone softened, "I don't know anything else about it … well, except what she won't admit."

"That she loves him?" Yuna bowed her head.

"And that he won't return her feelings. He has been coming here since this store opened, he's seen her everyday that she is here and yet I've never heard him utter a word in her direction."

The woman looked up at Lenne, then back down again, "You're not one to candy coat it, are you?"

"It's the truth," she said mournfully. "It shouldn't be coated."

"Sad," Yuna whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lenne dropped a hand to her shoulder, "Rikku's a strong person, she'll figure it out, don't worry so much."

"Strong? That's not the Rikku I know … what if she's in the back crying right now?"

"That's what is so beautiful about people, they can change, they can grow. Rikku's strong. Beside the point, what could we do to help? It may seem cruel, but this is Rikku's story, and we can't help her sort it out. Believe me, if I could step in, I would have long before now."

Yuna nodded, walking to the door, intending to check on her cousin anyway, when the it was pushed open again, but this time, Yuna had the good sense to step back to avoid it, crashing into the newly returned cashier in the process. Tidus steadied the girl as she fell backwards into his chest, tripping rather messily over her own high heels. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her up onto her feet and making her face burn with a vengeance.

"Are you alright?" his soft voice sounded in her ear and she could only nod weakly.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Rikku grinned at them from the doorway, her hands planted on her hips.

Somewhat startled by her sudden change of disposition, Yuna fell back into Tidus's arms again, trying to stop the realization that she liked the feeling of his arm about her waist.

Rikku sighed, "Get a room!"

If anything would separate her from him, it was that. Two moments later, she was standing firmly on her feet, thankful that the store was fairly empty and only the few stragglers still sitting at the tables had witnessed her fall. Also fortunately, Rikku seemed to forget the incident the instant after as she looked out the window and saw someone she obviously recognized.

"Quick, Tidus! Let me have the register!"

Slightly stunned, Tidus did as he was told, moving away so she could stand at it. A mere split second later the bell that announced a customer's arrival made a small tinkling as a severe looking woman in a business suit walked in.

Yuna, now standing safely several feet from Tidus, looked at the woman curiously, noticing with some shock that she wasn't as old as she had originally appeared, in fact, she looked to be only a year or so younger than Yuna.

She had silver hair that was cropped short and fluffed out in a flattering, yet very practical looking hairstyle and her eyes were a strange brownish red, perhaps reflecting some well of inner determination. Her skin was pale, but not sickly so, just enough to let anyone watching her know that she worked indoors and she wore pinstriped pants and matching jacket, buttoned all the way up, but still flattering on her form. The woman carried a portfolio under one arm and a briefcase in her other hand. Even without talking to her, Yuna instinctively knew that this wasn't a person to be trifled with.

"Good morning, Dr. P!" Rikku chirped, waving a bit. "I see you're right on time at seven forty-five in the morning, oh, and if my watch is correct, you're even fifteen seconds early! Does your schedule allow that?"

The woman gave a slightly disgruntled expression, but said nothing as she stopped at the register.

"So, what will it be today?" the girl said, still beaming. "Let me tell you, we have a hard time guessing what you'll pick each day. Will it be the caramel cappuccino, the mint frappuccino? So many choices, we can even mix some together just for you!"

The woman's eyebrow twitched, "I will have—"

"Don't make your mind up so fast, there's lots to consider!"

"—regular coffee."

Rikku sighed dramatically, throwing herself across the register, "Day after day I try and try, and yet you will only take your usual. What am I doing wrong?"

"I said regular coffee."

"At least take cream and sugar."

"That's bad for me."

"Live a little."

"I'm already alive, thank you."

Rikku seemed to brighten, picking herself up off the cash box, "Could I interest you in a donut?"

"No."

"Toast?"

"No."

"Pastries? Our chef is very adept. She can make Blackberry Mousse, French Caramel Chocolate Mousse, Three Berry Mousse, Lemon Raspberry Mousse, Tiramisu—"

"That's enough," the woman snapped, taking the offered cup of coffee from Tidus, then looked back at Rikku, a ghost of a smile crossing her lips. "I'm still not convinced." With that she whirled on her heel and stalked out.

"She can make tarts too!" Rikku called after her, on tiptoe, then settled back onto the balls of her feet when the door closed.

"What was—" Yuna started, but was interrupted by her cousin.

"That was Paine, she's something like a friend of mine, she works at an advertising firm down the block."

"Advertising," Yuna repeated, "but she's so—"

"Young? I know, it's because she's smart, passed a lot of high dollar tests and got a jump on her education," she snorted. "And I used to think I was pretty clever, graduating at seventeen this year."

Wakka chose that moment to walk out of the backroom into the bar area, wearing a ridiculous looking striped apron, "What're you doing out here chatting? I'm not paying you to socialize, let's get some work done."

The three looked at him, looked at each other, then looked at the lack of customers (save for the poor guy that was still waiting for whatever he had ordered on the grill).

"Point taken," the redhead muttered, then spoke louder. "New shipment in from Macalania, truck just pulled in back, Tidus, Miss Yuna, go organize it. And you," he grinned at the blonde girl, "stay behind that counter until closing, I'll not have you wandering about in those awful sneakers."

---

Tidus led the young woman to the back, biting his lip slightly as he pushed open the door to the storage room. A stack of boxes awaited them and only slight motions and few words from him got her started and helping.

_Get it together_, he chided himself. _Just … talk to her, anything at all._

"So, you … come here for school?"

She looked at him, seemingly surprised to hear him speak, then looked away shyly, "N-No … well, partly."

Silence.

_Well, that was a great conversation starter_.

He returned to his unpacking and documenting of coffee beans, the silence stretching for several minutes until…

"Oh, no!" the girl cried, falling to her knees in front of the broken sack, trying desperately to keep the rest of the beans from falling out, at the same time scrambling to shove those already on the ground back into the bag.

The result: beans everywhere.

"Here," Tidus said softly, kneeling across from her and helping to scoop up the beans.

Again, silence reigned supreme and Tidus groped for a way to break it, but, luckily, she beat him to it.

"The coffee … it smells nice," she said softly, shyly.

"Mhh," he nodded in agreement, turning slightly away from her to hide the eyebrow he couldn't keep from raising, trying to stifle the chuckle that was rising in his throat.

Luckily again, she gave into it first, giggling madly, giving him the opportunity to laugh as well, something he hadn't really done since he had found out … He shook the thought from his mind as she looked shyly up at him.

"Well, now that that's over and done with," he grinned down at her as a smile crossed her face as well.

"Of all the things to say," she whispered, more to herself than him, and he sensed that she was feeling that she only worsened the situation.

"You're in college, right?" he watched for the slight bobbing of her head, then continued. "W-What are you majoring in?"

"Me?… History."

"History, eh?" he remarked as he gathered a handful of beans. "Is it interesting?" Maybe, just maybe, if he talked about something she knew, she would open up.

"Oh yes," she started shyly. "I specialize in myths and old-world legends, it's fascinating."

Tidus nearly sighed, they had broken the ice, this should be easier now, but she wasn't giving him many opportunities to start a real conversation.

"So, Miss Yuna—"

"Just Yuna," she spoke up suddenly, encouraging him.

"Yuna, I never paid much attention in history, myths or not," he watched her face fall, but continued, he was already neck deep, might as well, say the whole thing. "Could you give me your view on all this?"

She looked up in surprise, then back down at her hands, hands that had stopped working on cleaning up the mess, "It's hard to explain…"

"Then give me a story," his eyes met hers, staring unwavering into the bi-colored orbs, "one of your favorites."

Yuna was quiet for just a moment, then nodded, "Alright."

"Don't worry about sorting, I'll do that while I'm listening."

"Thank you," she backed off a bit, settling herself on a crate. "Did you know that Spira once worshipped a false god?"

"You mean money?" he remarked dryly, trying to get a laugh out of her.

"No," she shook her head. "I mean a real false god. His name was Yu Yevon."

He looked up, suddenly interested, "Connected to that cult, the Yevonites?"

"The very same," she sighed a bit. "Anyway, long ago it was said that a huge monster called Sin destroyed the lives of Spirans because of our long history of sin. So the people repented and prayed, but it did not go away. It was not long until temples began appearing, telling the people that to defeat Sin, they an ancient art called Summoning must be used. The Summoner must travel to all the temples in Spira and gain the support of Aeons, sacred spirits that come from Fayth, who gave up their lives to defeat Sin."

Tidus cocked his head, "So all a Summoner had to do was defeat Sin and that would be the end of it?"

"Not quite," Yuna said, her voice no longer hesitant in his presence. "In order to defeat Sin, a Summoner had to give up their life, and, even then, Sin still came back after a few years."

"And another Summoner would have to give their life away."

Yuna nodded, "Exactly. Have you ever heard people refer to Spira as 'The Spiral'?"

"Yes."

"The name comes from this legend, the idea that no matter how many people give their lives, nothing will change."

"Wasn't there a way out?"

"I'm getting to that," Yuna straightened her back. "A young Summoner started her pilgrimage and was joined by protectors and friends, but there was something she hadn't foreseen. She was befriended by a man from a different time and place, a man who didn't know the sorrow she had been forced to live in. As time passed, they slowly began to care deeper for each other, his innocence and new viewpoint on the situation giving them all the insight to find the flaws in the system, and together, the Summoner and her lover threw off the bonds of tradition and corruption."

She paused, "They defeated Sin, once and for all, but it was not a happy ending. You see, the man that she fell in love with was a dream of the Fayth, doomed to fade when they did, and so, he faded away, out of her life."

Tidus looked up into her face as she finished, watching her frown gently at the conclusion. He could tell that it was a tale that haunted her constantly, a tale with no happy ending.

---

Rikku sighed under the gaze of the one remaining customer, he had been waiting fifteen minutes for his meal, but he seemed not to mind. He had been staring at her for most of that time and it was starting to make her nervous. It was eight a.m., only four more hours to lunch break, the clock was much too slow.

He had blond hair that was spiked up in a gravity-defying manner that made her wonder what kind of hair gel he used. He wore an odd ensemble that was topped off with a patch over his right eye, and she was inclined to say that it looked more like a clown's suit than anything else.

An odd fellow for sure. But a cute one … when she squinted.

The girl was so engrossed in glaring daggers at the man that when the door to the backroom opened, she nearly jumped out of her skin. None other than Kimahri strode out, wearing a white apron and a hairnet, carrying a Styrofoam box as if it were a diamond tiara, and striding out of the bar area, straight to the man.

Taking a few moments to gather her senses, Rikku was after the large man quickly, trying to ascertain the reason for his deserting of his grill.

"Kimahri! Kimahri! Get back there, you know Wakka will be mad!"

"Just for moment, Rikku," he growled, stopping at the man's table, said man fishing out some gil.

"Are you crazy? What if someone wants breakfast food?"

Kimahri bared his fangs in a small grin, "No one eat breakfast food, Rikku."

"Yes they do! Now what are you doing out here?"

"Man order, Kimahri deliver," Kimahri offered the box to the man, but Rikku snatched it before he could take it.

"No, the hierarchy is this: man order, you grill, I take pay, I give him food," with that she turned and handed the man the package, her tone turning sweet. "Sorry for the wait. Here you are, sir, your … um …"

Kimahri bent down, "Burger."

"Right, burger…"

The man stood, "Thanks man." Kimahri nodded to him.

"Burger … Burger!" Rikku's eyes widened and she looked at her watch. "No one orders a burger for breakfast!"

"He just did," Kimahri said smugly. "Onions, too."

Rikku shook her head, "I can't believe the one in a million idiot that would order a burger came into our restaurant…"

Quickly, she ran to the door, screaming after the man, "I hope you know you're going to get indigestion and die!"

---

**Author's Note:** Well, that was Chapter Four. Please let me know if the dialogue sounds cheesy or forced, I had some trouble fleshing it out.

Concerning character designs: I meant to mention … but I forgot. The sole reason this story is listed under Final Fantasy X instead of X-2 is because the characters still have their personalities and general image from the first game, well, all the X characters, the X-2 characters I've brought in … I can't do anything about them.

A Request: You may have noticed that I have two stories, so, if you have any extra time, could you please check out Tears of a Forgotten Summoner? Thank you very much.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you

Rose Northe


	5. Life Goes On

**Disclaimer: **Alright … how many times do I have to say it? I don't own anything of the characters or the game, that all belongs to Square. I only own the plot for the AU fan fiction.

Thank you very much to ThePirateJilt, CrimsonOkami, Cathelina, Rachel XXX, xxRhixx, Acoustical Trance, Hiya, Silent-Moonlight, KenshiyaWolfHimura, kagura-ness, Hylian Princess, and 'Rikku.Sehdan. for their support and reviews! I really appreciate your opinions!

I am so sorry, I would have updated sooner, but unfortunately, the computer that holds all my writing, this story included, has (quite literally) lost its mind, and thus, I couldn't (and still can't) access any of my files. It seems my computer will be broken for quite a while, but in the meantime, I have scraped about to piece together the chapter I was working on. Thank you so much for your patience.

Just a few things beforehand, thank you all for telling me what you think, and because of some comments, I had to rethink some of where the story is going, so I'd like to make those clear now.

ThePirateJilt: You were concerned with how awkward they are with each other, and I do admit, I got carried away. That will be fixed in this chapter, this will be their first meeting outside of work, where Yuna feels that she can talk freely.

CrimsonOkami: I knew it would happen eventually, so thank you for bringing up pairings. When I started this fiction, the only pairing I had in mind was Tidus x Yuna, and I just assumed I would use the regular pairings, Wakka x Lulu and the like, but when Auron x Rikku was brought up, I really didn't know what to do with it. After a lot of thought, I found that that pairing would not fit in this story, but I will use a one sided infatuation to bring out more of Rikku's inner character.

Cathelina: You brought up two good points. One, Yuna is supposed to be ignorant. I was using that as a device to show that this city and the people around her aren't what she is normally used to, to demonstrate that she really didn't belong, but I see your point. I got carried away as I normally do with literary devices I find that work. In the same way, it brought up point two, the 'myth' I used last chapter. That was an extended allusion to Final Fantasy X's main plot and the only purpose it had was to tie this story tighter to the game and also to foreshadow that history might repeat itself, given the chance.

One more quick thing. I have researched and read previously about the causes and symptoms of hypertension, but I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination. So, if there is any inaccuracy in my portrayal of it, please contact me immediately so that I can fix it ASAP. Again, thank you for your comments and I hope I cleared up some confusion.

Please enjoy and please review!

Incurable Affection 

**Chapter Five: Life Goes On**

Tidus threw his keys onto the counter as he pulled his jacket off. It was definitely autumn, and as far north as Zanarkand was placed, the citizens had yet to see the sort of plunging temperatures the weather would send at them this year. He dropped the mail on the kitchen table and crossed to his answering machine, where all the messages since he had come to know of his condition were still recorded.

Maybe it was a sort of reminiscence thing. The voices of those close to him really didn't have any therapeutic value, but still he did not erase the messages. It was something tangible that was testament to his life and for that reason, he keep all messages contained.

The man peered at the red counter on the machine, determining from the tally marks he had scratched on a napkin beside the machine that he had received one message during the day. He switched the playback for his phone messages on, scrolling through them until he found the most recent, then he sat down to a mass of bills and a package he was certain he hadn't ordered.

"_Friday, two thirty p.m._," the mechanical voice greeted, the familiar drone somehow helping the man relax.

"_This is Physician's Assistant Baralai calling for Tidus Lanar._"

Tidus had to suppress a groan, all the doctors he had seen left everything up to him, prescribed medicine, but mostly left him alone. Not so with this one.

He had changed doctors so many times during the brief span of his denial, that it was a toss up as to who would actually deal with his long term care, and so, he flipped a few coins, drew some names from a hat, and ultimately ended up with a female doctor named Shelinda.

Her offices were near his apartment and she was very good at what she did, but she had the misfortune of having a PA that was very pushy. His heart was in the right place, that was for sure, but Tidus really didn't have the energy or patience to enjoy that fact. Whereas his superior had given blood tests, given medicine, and continued to try to find something that might save his life, Baralai seemed infinitely more interested in his mental well-being.

All the doctors had told him to call his family, tell them about his condition, tell his friends, get everything out in the open, but none of them were as persistent as Baralai proved to be. The man seemed to have a sixth sense for a patient's issues, knowing immediately that Tidus wasn't willing to speak to his family about a problem, and he wasn't afraid to trudge through sacred ground. It was a bad combination for Tidus.

"_It doesn't seem the medicine you're taking now is helping at all, so the offices have sent you a different type, it should have arrived by now_."

Tidus looked down at the package and sighed, sometimes the other man's timing was just too perfect.

"_Take it as soon as you get it, and make sure to take it at the same time each day._"

Again the man sighed, obeying the voice on the machine and retrieving a glass, downing a pill. Finally taking notice of his pounding head, the man reached for some of the cheap over-the-counter painkiller that he was so well stocked with.

"_And it's worth mentioning that with this medicine, you shouldn't take any additional drugs or painkillers._"

Tidus resisted the urge to throw the machine away.

"_Anyway, I'll remind you again, call your family._" With that, the message clicked off and Tidus once again collapsed in a chair.

It had been a good two weeks since Yuna had been taken on as an employee, and now over a fortnight and a half since he had found about his … condition. For the most part he had lived somewhat normally by putting it from his mind and concentrating on other things.

He had taken what Rikku had said to heart and made a point of watching Yuna, confirming what the blonde girl believed. Despite earlier difficulties in her new workplace, she was now fitting in quite well, only she didn't seem to realize it.

She continued pussyfooting around everyone, being painfully polite when the need to be was long gone. From what Rikku told him, she wasn't always this way. When they had been children, she was polite, but spunky, ready to do the right thing. The only thing he could come up with was that whatever had happened to bring her here had also scarred her irreparably.

Perhaps incurably.

He knew it wasn't his place, but he wanted to help, he wanted so much to make her smile. The idea sounded stupid in his own mind, he could only imagine what it would be if he tried to put it in words.

When they spoke, it was mostly formal small talk, and that bothered him. They had broken the ice, it should get easier, not harder. If he did anything before he left this life, he hoped that it would be to help her. She needed saving.

That sounded stupid as well. This was a modern age, she wasn't a damsel in distress and he wasn't some sort of knight pre-ordained to slay the dragon at her window. He wished it were as simple as slaying a fire-breather, matters of the heart were so much more tricky and dangerous.

Tidus sighed and stood, walking to the refrigerator and noticing that he should go shopping soon to avoid starvation, but he really didn't dwell on it as his mind drifted back to Yuna.

And really, a relationship wouldn't be good for either of them. He had to look ahead at the possibilities. It was obvious that she had lost someone or something very close to her, and all the signs pointed to an early death in his future, something that didn't lend itself to the creating of a long-term friendship.

But again, that applied to his other friends as well. Would his not telling them only lead to more pain in the end? Maybe he should come out and tell them …

_No! _his mind screamed at him, and he immediately agreed with it. Indecision would not aid him. He had to accept his fate and not go back on his decisions. Accepting it before it happened would be his saving grace.

Denial wouldn't help him now, but it wouldn't help her either. Whereas he knew what would happen, but was trying to come to terms with it, Yuna seemed to refuse to be part of the world anymore. Whatever had happened had caused her to retreat to some place inside herself.

That place offered a deal that many relied on. If you stay half buried in yourself and never use your entire heart and soul, you won't get hurt when things turn from bad to worse. When you live this way, disappointments don't sting as much, losses don't hurt quite as acutely. By always holding something of yourself back, you can survive, you can insure that even if those around you die, you will keep living.

But there is a downside. When you live this way, you don't truly live at all.

---

Yuna sighed as she locked the door behind her, wading through the mess Rikku usually left in her wake. The girl would be leaving school about now and the young woman knew fully well that her cousin was busy, but Yuna wished that she'd think to pick up after herself just once.

Rikku walked a thin line and Yuna respected that. The blond was still in high school, and yet she already lived on her own and had to support herself. But still, Yuna felt there was no excuse for the state of her apartment. Empty boxes of Chinese takeout had been everywhere, cushioned by a layer of unwashed clothes and old schoolwork. It was a wonder the entire place wasn't infested with vermin.

In fact, Yuna's first weekend in the big city was devoted entirely to the cleaning of the apartment while Rikku studied. It was a big job for one person, but her cousin pitched in several times, always chanting some formula or other under her breath while she did.

You wouldn't think it from first, or second, glance, but Rikku was really a conscientious girl that was serious in her studies and hoping to graduate with honors. Yuna saw a shadow of herself in that and was immediately drawn to her cousin's plight, trying to help her in any way, and hoping that her dreams wouldn't suffer a blow like hers had.

Yuna now worked weekday mornings and early afternoons as well as weekends and would continue in that way until college started. She had already applied to a local college, not one of the more prestigious ones that Zanarkand offered, but the only one that her wages and scholarships could afford. The woman was confident she would get a good education from there and by then, who knows, maybe she could have found a rich handsome husband that could support her.

Unlikely, but it was still something that she hoped for. Though, how could a man marry, or even fall in love with her when she was afraid to go out and look? She had hoped that her initial hesitance toward this place would have worn off by now, but it hadn't, if anything, it was getting worse. Even when Tidus talked to her, it was like she was acting through a haze, her mouth not forming the words she wanted to say and her thoughts sluggish.

She knew that her attitude wouldn't do, but she couldn't help herself. There was no great pressure on her, but she still felt like an unseen spotlight was on her every step she took.

Yuna sighed and picked up several books Rikku had dropped on the floor, repositioning them on the couch. At least this was one aspect of her life she was in control of, and, truth be told, she felt a little pride in her conquest of the apartment. Straightening, she observed her little kingdom, then turned to filch something from the refrigerator, maybe a yogurt or something would be nice and help keep her until dinner.

Empty. The white air conditioned box was empty. All except for a pink sticky note sporting Rikku's handwriting.

'_Food all gone.'_

"Very helpful," Yuna closed the door, then picked up the money she had gotten from the paycheck last week, resigning herself to shopping.

Fifteen minutes later she was ready, bundled in a somewhat inadequate coat against the cold. She locked the door and stuffed the key in her purse, then stepped out into the chill of early afternoon.

Rikku didn't own a car, and, as Yuna found out, most of the working class people didn't, it was just more convenient to walk or call a taxi. She sighed and walked down the sidewalk at a brisk pace, thankful that not many people were out at this time.

In passing, she happened to glance up as a cab flew by, catching sight of a decoration the driver had seen fit to glue to the passenger window.

'Life goes on. Can you keep up?'

Yuna bit her lips savagely, increasing her pace. She knew the sticker to be true, but she still didn't know quite how to move on with her life.

---

Tidus stepped out of the apartment building in time to see a speeding taxi drive by. A white sticker caught he eye and he jerked his head to the side to read it before the cab was gone.

'Life goes on. Can you keep up?'

He sighed, little reminders like that seemed to be scattered all over the place just when you didn't want to see them.

"I know, I'm trying," he muttered under his breath as he started down the street, heading to a newspaper stand just across the way.

He scanned the titles as he pulled his long coat tighter about him. Tidus smiled as he spotted the name of a certain team, pulling the magazine off the rack.

Zanarkand Abes.

Their name seemed to be eternally on the front page. At least that was constant. He was just in the process of flipping to the right page when a voice called his name, causing the man to start.

He looked about to see Yuna, the woman looking rather ridiculous as she waved at him, whilst attempting not to fall from atop her heels as she crossed the street toward him.

Her face was flush from the cold and she was smiling a bit, as if glad to see a familiar face. The thought made Tidus smile in return.

"Hey," she looked up, obviously at a loss for words now that she had caught up with him.

"So, what are you doing out here?" he asked, a little amused at her odd dress in spite of himself. She wore the uniform from work, her hair was windblown, and she sported a blitzball jacket that obviously came from her old high school.

Yuna rummaged in a pocket and showed him a pink sticky note.

"'Food all gone'?" he smiled a bit. "Sounds like Rikku."

The woman nodded, "She could have at least told me that we were low on supplies."

He turned back to pay the vendor for the magazine, "It's a wonder she hasn't starved without you."

Yuna shifted from foot to foot, "She seems to be fond of midnight shopping trips."

"Grocery store down there?" he gestured in the direction he had been heading in, waited for her to nod affirmation, then spoke again. "Same here. Shall I escort you?"

She looked up in surprise, "Where did that come from?"

He blinked a bit, "What?"

"You just sounded like a knight from those old movies."

"Don't bait me," he smirked a bit, then started walking, the girl quickly catching up with his slow stride.

"Oh … I'm sorry," she said sheepishly, fidgeting a bit.

"Yuna," he looked down at her, "don't apologize. You don't have to apologize for every little thing, and besides, you did nothing wrong." Tidus straightened his jacket, trying to lighten the mood, "I like those old movies."

Her voice broke out into a smile, "You too?"

"Of course," he replied offhandedly and a companionable silence stretched between them.

Yuna, however, didn't seem to be quite as comfortable with the silence as he was and desperately groped for something to talk about. Her eyes fell on the magazine and seemed to bring something to mind.

"I've seen you before."

"Excuse me?" he looked down at her again, then shrugged, trying to turn it into a joke. "We work together, it's bound to happen sometime."

"No, no," she muttered, obviously trying to recall something. "I mean before I came here. You look familiar, as if I saw you on TV on in a magazine …"

Tidus breathed deeply, readying himself to take yet another person mistaking him for someone who looked very much like him. He waited for her to say something more for a few moments, then decided to help her out.

"It was on a magazine, right?"

"Yes," she looked over at her, curious.

"It had red border?"

"Yes …"

"Sports magazine?"

"I-I think so."

"Blond fellow on the cover?"

"Yes! That's it!"

"Looked a lot like me?"

"Yes!" Yuna was excited now, feeling that she had finally pushed past some imaginary wall until …

"That wasn't me."

The girl seemed to deflate, "B-But—"

"It's my brother. Shuyin," Tidus couldn't help the touch of venom that filled his tone.

She bit her lip, "S-sorry."

The blond man waved a hand, "It's a common mistake. Don't worry about it. It's just good luck that I live in a part of the city where most people don't really know him."

"You don't like your brother?"

The man stopped walking, truly considering the innocent question as Yuna looked back at him, undoubtedly beating herself up for taking the subject too far. But Tidus wasn't mad, not at all. The question, in fact, was one that he really hadn't found an answer to. Silence stretched and Yuna fidgeted, Tidus opened his mouth to speak and the girl looked ready to bolt.

"No … I suppose I don't," he continued his slow stride, drawing level with her.

Yuna chewed on her lip, then trotted ahead to look him in the face, "Do you … care to talk about it?"

Tidus scoffed a bit, "Got a couple hours?"

"I have all night," she said earnestly, catching the other by surprise.

He breathed deeply again, "While we're at it, should we have dinner?"

"I wouldn't mind it."

"Good, there's this little diner …"

---

Tidus handed the menu to the waiter, watching Yuna do the same, then sighed a bit, apprehensive about talking about it, but, at the same time, glad that she had asked. The woman sipped at her water, stealing occasional glances at him, waiting for him to say something. No one had really asked about his past before, and he knew now that he wanted to talk about it. Perhaps she would open up to him if he opened up to her. But, even so, it was hard.

"Where should I start?"

"At the beginning."

"Easily said," he took a gulp of air, then let it out. "It started with my father," there was no gentle way to say it, so he blurted it. "I hate him."

"Hate? Why, was he cruel?" Yuna listened with rapt attention.

Tidus thought for a moment, memories replaying before his eyes, "Yes, he was very cruel."

The other looked concerned, "He didn't … abuse you, did he?"

The tension left by that single question crackled through the air and it was left hanging for a moment before Tidus chuckled a bit, breaking the silence.

"No, no, nothing nearly that dramatic," he looked down at his hands. "My parents married young. My mother worked two jobs until Shuyin and I were born, and my father was something of a struggling blitzer," he spread his palms out to look at them. "We lived rather poorly until Jecht got a big break with the Zanarkand Abes."

"Jecht?" she asked softly. "You call your father by his first name?"

Tidus shrugged, "Somehow, dad or daddy never quite fitted him."

She nodded, "What happened then?"

"When Jecht made the team, he regained his dream of being the best. He trained nonstop and climbed the social ladder, didn't have time for his children, and because of that, quickly was named the best player," Tidus sighed a bit. "Even without him, it wasn't that bad, we had our mother and she cared for us like nothing else. But then …"

"Then?"

The man fidgeted a bit, "As you can imagine, when he became star player, he made quite a few enemies as well as fans. I now know what I didn't then: People blackmailed him. Sent him letters saying that they would destroy his reputation and career, but he …" Tidus gritted his teeth a bit, "He didn't take heed of them. Thought himself invincible. Well, he wasn't, and mother died because of it."

Yuna bit her lip, leaning back, suddenly feeling strange. He was baring himself to her, telling her everything. She knew that it shouldn't be this way, but him sharing this with her made her happy, he trusted her … but still, she didn't want to force him even though she did want to know.

"He was attacked with her on his arm. She was hit instead of him, and died for it," Tidus folded his hands on the table. "After that he ignored my brother and I completely, took to drinking and only stopped for blitzball. Shuyin desperately wanted his approval and trained himself in the sport to curry favor with Jecht. It worked, he no longer ignored us. He trained Shuyin, but he also took notice of me. I had talent enough for the sport, but I didn't have the passion to develop it, so, at best, I was a mediocre player."

The woman met his eyes when he looked up, listening completely, something no one really had ever done.

"He would taunt me and Shuyin, once my best friend, didn't stand up for me because it would hurt the fragile relationship he had with Jecht. Everyone compared me with my brother and no one really took me serious. As far as Jecht was concerned, if my future didn't lie with blitzball and his legacy, I didn't have a future. Nothing I ever did was good enough for my father and after a while, something like that starts to wear you down."

At this point he looked to Yuna, who nodded understanding.

"Halfway through high school, I moved out on the money I had raised from a part-time job."

"You moved here from across town," the girl said quietly.

He nodded, "Haven't talked to either one since."

Now that Yuna knew that she had compared him to his brother as well, she felt terrible, but he cut her off, "L-Look, Tidus, I didn't mean to mistake you for—"

He smiled at her, "It's alright, Yuna, it was good to get it off my chest, and besides," he stirred his tea a bit, not really paying attention to what he was saying, "being pathetic isn't exactly my normal strategy on a first date."

She started to nod, then stared at him, "Did you just say date?"

The man froze, thought it over quickly, then smiled, "You caught that, didn't you?"

Yuna didn't know what to say, but felt happy that he considered her someone worth dating … a smile broke out, "As long as it's not your strategy on the second date."

He looked into her bi-colored orbs, "… Second date?"

The girl bit her lip again as she raised her glass, trying to hide her face as she flushed, "Caught that, did you?"

---

Rikku slurped up another noodle before she looked back to observe the door open, watching her roommate come in empty handed and grinning like an idiot.

"I thought you went shopping," she said as she turned to regard the other.

"Oh, sorry," Yuna replied, her voice light and her words not carrying the grim severity they once held.

The blond frowned and set down her carton of Chinese takeout with a small click to bring her cousin's attention back to her.

The room was quiet for a moment, then Yuna spoke, "Chinese?"

Rikku's stern stance cracked instantly, "I got hungry waiting for you."

"Oh … wontons?"

"All yours."

Yuna sat down near her cousin, eating a few.

"So, may I ask where you've been?"

The young woman looked at her blond cousin, a genuine smile breaking out, "It's a secret."

---

**Author's notes: **Thank you for reading, and again, I'm sorry for the long wait. If there's anything you think I should do more, or stop doing, or start doing, please tell me. I'm sort of unhappy with this chapter, so if you have any advice, I'd be glad to hear it!

Please review! It will make me very happy!

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you

Rose Northe


	6. Regrets

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing of the Final Fantasy franchise.

Thank you very much to Rikku's Twin, Sir Gecko, Hiya, Cathelina, Hijozu, xxRhixx, SapphireRose, Sage of Downtown Hyrule, Hylian Princess, PhoenixSong4232, lenne201, Silent-Moonlight, TgIiDgUiS, Atticus Green, Starfoxlmh, Rachel XXX, chocoboluver108, cricketchick1990, CrimsonOkami, PlatypusCraze, …, and anon! Your encouragement really means a lot.

It has been a while, and I'm very sorry about that. Life just wasn't kind to me these last few months, but now I'm back with a new chapter for all of you. Thank you for waiting so patiently.

I want to make this as real as possible, I have researched the disease, treatments, and effects of it, but I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, an expert, so if you notice an inaccuracy in my portrayal of it, please let me know immediately so I can correct it.

Please enjoy.

**Incurable Affection**

**Chapter Six: Regrets**

A sense of dread followed Tidus where ever his thoughts traveled. It was hard to believe that for the first time in his nineteen years of life, he had admitted his attraction to a member of the opposite sex… and she hadn't rejected him outright. She liked _him_ and he couldn't help but think that they might have a future. A real, definite, almost tangible future together as lovers and eventually as a married couple.

It was thrilling, but at the same time it also made his heart beat cold in his chest. Did he really deserve this, he who would almost certainly die an early death? Could he do that to _her_?

Tidus didn't value himself as anything special or memorable, he never had, but if this was that cornily termed 'true love' that everyone searches for in their own right, then his death could seriously wound her… even ruin her life.

It was too much; he couldn't cause her that much pain. No one deserved that, least of all Yuna. But if he broke it off, it would only hurt sooner, and, with acute certainty, he knew that he wanted to be by her as much as she wanted to be by him, maybe more.

The man laid back on the examining bed at Baralai's order, sighing a bit. The silver-haired man was immediately scratching notes onto a paper with Tidus's name at the top and the blonde man was tempted to take it and read what the other was scrawling, but he restrained himself. He calmly waited, trying to make himself appear composed and not ready to rip the clipboard out of the other man's hands.

"Well, Mr. Lanar," Baralai started, making Tidus jump a bit as he hadn't expected anything from him. "It seems the medicine you started taking last week has helped your condition—" Tidus's ears perked up and hope started building inside him. "—but you are still in danger."

The hope deflated. It was true, now that he thought of it, it made a lot of sense for him to have this type of disorder, and it ironically tied in with everything he had confided to Yuna. He had put such stress on himself all his life and now he was paying for it.

After performing a slight double take at the other's rapidly changing expression, Baralai sighed and put the clipboard down, "You can't expect a lifetime's worth of damage to be fixed in two months. Even though you seem to be doing better, your organs have still sustained damage from this and whether it is reversible or not is still being researched."

If anything would make a person's day, it was a PA saying that to their face.

"Do you…" Tidus started, groping for a word that would adequately express Baralai's utter bluntness concerning his condition, "have any tact, at _all_?"

The man smiled a bit and was about to respond when the door opened and Doctor Shelinda walked briskly in.

"No, he doesn't," she reproached him. "Medical school teaches you what you're doing, dealing with people teaches you _how_ to do it."

Baralai bowed his head a bit, he knew what she was really saying. He lacked experience, and thus, should learn to keep his mouth shut. Whether or not he would take her advice was another matter though. He backed out of the room after handing the clipboard to her, leaving her alone with the man.

Shelinda flipped briskly through the pages, "Forgive him, he's competent enough, but he's still used to labs more than he is people."

"I understand," Tidus said blandly, trying to be considerate.

She looked up at him, "Well, you are doing better. Your blood pressure has dropped and I imagine you aren't suffering quite as many headaches as you used to?"

He nodded quietly, but offered no more.

The woman sighed and leaned against the counter and Tidus observed that she looked severely out of place. Underneath her white lab coat, she wore a strange green garment that looked to be from some Renaissance Fair. She was definitely an individual that wasn't afraid to show that she was different. Tidus envied her.

Shelinda crossed her arms over the clipboard, "Tidus, you don't know how much it saddens me to see one in your state here."

The man was taken aback, the doctor had always done her utmost to be upbeat and cheerful in his presence, why would she say this now?

"We're all worried about your physical health," she continued. "But we're also very concerned about your mental state."

He looked down, he had expected something like this to crop up, especially with Baralai involved.

"We know you're hurting, there is no way that you could not be, but you need to let people around you in," she sighed, her eyes closing briefly. "If you think you're sparing those around you some pain by keeping it to yourself, you're wrong. When they look back on this, if the worst does happen, they'll be devastated that you didn't tell them. And your family—"

"My family doesn't care," the man said defiantly.

"No matter, they are your _family_ and they have a right to know. This is for your own good."

---

His own good? What would he tell them?

'Hello, Dad, sorry we haven't talked in, oh, five years, but I'm just calling to tell you that I'm dying. Yeah, the doctor just told me. It's distressing, but I'm sure everything will turn out fine. Love, Tidus.'

Not in a million years. They weren't part of his life, they never made the effort, and why should he make the effort now that his life was over?

The man paused. His life was over? It sounded so final, so condemning, he couldn't help but wonder if it was really the truth.

He sighed and unlocked the café, it had been a week since that appointment and he still couldn't get the words out of his mind. Tidus had tried to be cheerful, tried to make it appear that nothing was wrong, but it was an uphill battle. The only true happiness he had allowed himself was when he was with Yuna, and even she seemed worried for him.

One truth stood clear in his mind, if he couldn't pull himself together, they would find out, and that was the last thing he wanted. He pushed open the door, faking cheerfulness as he greeted a very sleepy Wakka. Tidus could only be happy that Wakka was half-asleep, even he knew that his smile looked fake.

Mentally slapping himself, the young man adjusted the look on his face to a thoughtful impassive and took his place behind the counter, busying himself with the mundane as he waited for his coworkers to arrive. Kimahri was first as always, and the way a small paper chef hat was perched on his head elicited a small smile from Tidus.

The grin widened when Rikku came, Yuna on her heels. The blonde girl was disgruntled and looked like she had hit the wrong side of the bed, Yuna trailing after her trying to convince her that moaning like a banshee wouldn't win them points with their employer. As soon as she saw him though, her face lit up, waving to him shyly, smiling.

He returned the gesture, his smile widening, troubles momentarily forgotten. She really wanted to be around him, the feeling was like no other, warm and gentle, he didn't want it to end.

"Why is it so early?" Rikku exclaimed, breaking up his thoughts and forcing him to focus on her.

"Because you chose the morning shift, just like the rest of us," Lenne said as she closed the door behind her. Contrary to Rikku, she seemed ready for work, her clothing immaculate and her demeanor cheerful.

Tidus would have watched the ensuing banter if it wasn't for Yuna coming closer to the counter, walking near him and briefly taking his hand before she disappeared into the back rooms.

---

The morning rush had passed its peak and Tidus could only be glad for it. Over the morning the work had kept his mind off troubles and the constant glowing aura from Yuna lifted his mood. He was just about to take his break when the door opened again and he sighed, watching as a blonde individual walked in.

---

Rikku turned, a ready smile on her face, intending to greet the customer, then stopped short, "Oh… it's you."

"How good to see you again," the man greeted, walking past her with a barely concealed wink. "Good morning," he said cheerily to Tidus, ready to order.

The blonde girl felt her blood boil, for the past week, this joker had been coming there every morning… to order a hamburger. Kimahri gloated and she growled, but this guy seemed eternal. Rikku was a chaotic creature, one that loved random encounters and spontaneous actions, but she was also a creature of habit and this man was screwing up the entire menu.

What was worse was that every chance he got, his eyes seemed to gravitate toward her, almost as if he were studying her. It was unnerving and she didn't like it.

As soon as he ordered, he went to one of the far booths and settled down, per usual, but, breaking from habit, she followed him, sitting opposite the man, frowning at him.

Contrary to her, he beamed, seeming delighted that she took whatever bait he was putting out.

A moment of silence passed before she demanded, "Who are you?"

He didn't seem taken aback by the question and answered immediately, "Gippal."

"Do you live here?"

"I've lived in this city for three months now."

She narrowed her eyes, "Do you have a job?"

"I'm not a bum, if that's what you're implying."

"What do you do, then?" she pressed.

"…I'm currently unemployed."

"Aha!"

Gippal matched her frown, "Just because I don't have a job now doesn't mean that I can't support myself."

"But not forever."

"I'll manage."

"How?"

"I have connections, and those connections have jobs."

"Why haven't you taken those jobs?"

"Because they're in a different city."

"Why haven't you moved?"

"I like it here."

She paused, then continued her interrogation, "And why do you order a hamburger for breakfast?"

Silence stretched again and a ghost of a smile passed the man's face, "That's what this is really about?"

Rikku stiffened, trying to salvage her dignity, "Just answer the question."

"Very well," he sighed. "I order hamburgers because I like hamburgers."

"But why for breakfast?"

"Why not?"

"They aren't a breakfast food."

"Don't tell me you have never eaten scrambled eggs for dinner."

"… Point taken."

With that, Rikku rose, prepared to go back to work, but Gippal called out to her.

"I liked our little talk, maybe we can do it again sometime. Maybe over dinner?"

She looked back at him, sticking out her tongue, "In your dreams!"

"Breakfast then," he offered.

Rikku paused, rolling her eyes, "See you tomorrow, weirdo."

The man smiled after her, "See you later, Cid's girl."

But Rikku didn't hear.

---

Baralai reclined in his office wondering if he had done the right thing. It was necessary, but had he pushed his luck too far?

Perhaps paying a call to the higher districts of Zanarkand hadn't been such a good idea…

---

The shop was closing, most of the employees had already left and Wakka had retreated upstairs to his home, locking the door behind. All that was left was to upend the chairs on one more table then lock the front door.

Tidus collapsed into a chair, sighing heavily. The business of the day had lightened his mood, but now that it was over, he couldn't seem to stop fixating on the problem at hand.

He was dying. He had a girlfriend who didn't know, and was unknowingly getting deeper and deeper into a relationship that would not end well. A pesky PA was nagging him about telling his family.

With a grim smile he realized that the business of death was more complicated than just living. But, no matter how crushing these problems seemed, they all paled in comparison to the fact that indecision was squeezing away at him and soon he might not be able to take any action at all.

Lacking anything else to express himself, and desperately wanting to confide in someone, Tidus asked aloud, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"You were always like this, you have all the possibilities dancing in front of your face, and yet you can't do a damned thing."

In shock, Tidus looked up, not believing who was standing before him, only able to utter the man's name under his breath.

"Shuyin."

---

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the long update time. Life gets in the way… a lot. So how is the story going? Anything you like? Don't like? Absolutely loathe? Please leave a review to let me know.

I'll look forward to hearing from you

Rose Northe


	7. Brotherly

**Disclaimer:** I've said it for six chapters. I own nothing.

Thank you for all the reviews and encouragement, it really means a lot to me.

Wow…ok, there's no excuse for this long update time, the only thing I can offer up is the fact that my life is going through a lot of changes over the past half-year and I've had to sacrifice a lot of the fun things that make life worthwhile. But! I'm back, fully recharged, and absolutely ready to finish this story.

A special note to a reviewer of mine: Mazza, I thank you very much for all the encouragement you have given me, without your little reminders, I don't think I would have returned to this site. Don't worry, this story will be updated and completed. Cheers!

Please enjoy and please review.

**Incurable Affection**

**Chapter Seven: Brotherly**

"Yeah, me," the man smirked weakly.

Tidus chose not to answer; perhaps there was no appropriate answer to that.

"So," Shuyin started with a sigh, "when were you going to tell us?"

"When I was ready."

"Which is never," the blonde man shook his head, setting down a suitcase.

Silence stretched and Tidus spoke for lack of anything else but to break the horrible silence, "Is… Father here?"

If anything could have made Shuyin pity his brother more, it was that question, "No."

"Does he know? About my condition I mean."

"Yes."

"So then why are you here?" Even if Tidus tried, he couldn't completely keep the venom from his voice.

"What do you want me to say?" Shuyin asked pointedly. "That I came to loot your belongings?" The man held up a hand as the other opened his mouth to speak, "Spare me, Tidus. You know that's not why I'm here."

"Then it really is over," Tidus muttered, his chest tightening painfully at the admittance of that truth.

"Yes…" Shuyin said gravely, but continued a moment later with a slightly sarcastic edge. "Because fire and brimstone come down when your brother comes to see you."

The other man's head shot up, "Are you mocking me?"

"No. I'm mocking your self-pity."

That got Tidus up and out of his seat, half-way across the room too, "Self-pity?!"

"Yes," Shuyin said calmly, offsetting him so completely that the blonde cashier felt his rage dissipate from beneath him. "Your Physician's Assistant called me."

"That rat!"

"Let me finish. He called to tell me that you were in trouble, and the moment he did I booked a ticket down here."

"Noble, aren't you?" Tidus snarled, then regretted it a moment after when he saw the truly hurt expression Shuyin wore.

"For the first few minutes of the conversation, he didn't tell me that it was your health, to tell you the truth when I made the arrangements, I thought it purely mental."

Tidus had to admit, he was caught off guard. Shuyin was famous for his smooth ways, the fast-talker, the award-winning smile, but this sounded genuine, and Tidus found himself wanting to believe that it was so.

"I was hurt that _you_ didn't call me, but it doesn't matter much now, I'm here," Shuyin spread his arms wide, not for an embrace, but almost as if he was trying to define his presence.

As much as Tidus hated himself a moment later for saying it, he couldn't stop the words from rising up his throat and out his mouth, "Now what?"

"Now what?" Shuyin echoed, then shook his head. "Now I want to do what I can to help. Baralai—"

"First name basis?"

"Your Physician's Assistant," Shuyin said pointedly, "told me that you were retreating into yourself. Choked with indecision."

Tidus's mouth opened and closed twice before he found his voice, "What gives that worm the right…"

"Was he lying?"

The blonde cashier was prudently silent.

"Well, even if I can't help you, Tidus," Shuyin sighed, indicating a suitcase that he had brought in with him, "you're stuck with me for a while."

The other man allowed himself to consider the situation for a few slow moments. From what he understood from the numerous articles detailing his brother's career and social life (not that Tidus actually _read_ them, the thought alone was galling enough to make him cringe), Shuyin had left half a dozen projects, women, and games on hold. One phone call and the brother he hadn't seen for years pulled up his roots, the career and status he had worked so hard for, and rushed to his side.

Something like relief flooded Tidus. Someone knew. Someone cared. He allowed himself a sigh but kept his face hard. He would never hear the end of it if he told his brother that he was _glad_ he was here.

'Stuck with me', what a strange phrase for Shuyin to use, for at that moment, no one was more welcome.

"Come on, then," the cashier said curtly, picking up the suitcase to Shuyin's apparent shock. "Let's go, we're losing the light."

The other stood slowly, raising an eyebrow, "Did I miss something?"

"Perhaps," Tidus said vaguely. "But just be grateful you're not sleeping in an alley."

"Alley?" the man said slyly. "I was under the impression that I'd be taking your bed."

"Floor," Tidus immediately countered, pushing the door open for them, then locking it behind.

"You wouldn't do that to your own brother."

"Watch me."

"I'll get a stiff back."

"It'll be good for your spine."

"Then you should sleep on the floor, you need to grow one."

Tidus snorted, "What are you? Five?"

"Bed."

"Floor," the cashier insisted.

"Couch?"

"Truce," Tidus moved ahead, walking briskly to hide the slight smile that shown through his tough façade.

---

Rikku frowned as she watched Gippal enter the café, then scowled as he strode directly to her, executing a sweeping bow and a brilliant smile, "Good morning."

"It depends," the blonde girl grumbled, watching him warily.

He shrugged her obvious annoyance off, "I was wondering about that talk you promised we'd have…You seem unwilling for breakfast or dinner, how about a lunch? I wouldn't even object to a snack." The man grinned broadly, pleased with himself.

In spite of herself, Rikku had to share his smile, "No hamburgers."

Gippal did his best to look absolutely aghast, "Surely you jest."

"Surely you've had enough heartburn?" Rikku arched an eyebrow, her smile growing at the sudden smirk on his face.

"So, is that a yes?"

"Perhaps," Rikku tried her best to look as if the conversation was over, but Gippal wasn't having any of that.

"Yes or no?"

The girl cocked her head slightly to the side, looking at the hand that rested on her shoulder, as if to stop her leaving, "Meet me in thirty minutes and we'll find out." With that she strode behind the counter, watching him grin and leave the café out of the corner of one eye.

Only one problem now; she worked the lunch shift.

Rikku allowed her head to fall on her folded arms, groaning for all she was worth. Too bad Yuna was off today, she could cover for the girl and Wakka would never have to know…Why oh why did she not think this through? Now, in addition to being an intrusive food critic, he'd think her a scatter-brain…

Wait, why should she care what he thought?

But even as that question crossed her mind, she knew the answer. Because he was charming and a little too mysterious to not try to figure out. Mysterious? Yes, eating hamburgers for breakfast qualifies for mysterious.

That mattered little though, she had a date with him, a date she'd be forced to cancel if…

The door opened, Rikku allowed her head to snap up, "You! Just the man I wanted to see!" Jumping up, the girl practically danced over to the new arrival, who was pointing to himself as if asking if she were really talking to him.

Who else would she be talking to?

"Now, Tidi…" she said in an exaggeratedly sweet voice, making her best puppy eyes, and throwing in the random pet name for good measure. "I need a little favor…"

As she had hoped, the blonde man was completely caught off-guard, and too in the spot-light to deny her, "Uh, sure."

"Great! I need you to cover for me for a hour," said Rikku as she forcefully guided the man behind the counter. "No, make that an hour and a half, we might want dessert…Yeah, an hour and a half is good, let's go with that."

"Right," the man said, still star-struck, standing behind the counter as if he had absolutely no idea of what he was supposed to be doing.

"What are you waiting for? Open the register, you need to be ready for customers."

For the first time since he had entered, the man turned to face her, "I…don't have the key?"

Rikku opened her mouth then found herself hesitating, "Tidus? Did you change your hair?"

A slight tinkling noise signaled that another person had entered and a startling familiar voice spoke, "Shuyin?"

A moment passed and some sort of understanding dawned on Rikku's face, another moment passed and she was skittering back from the counter and toward the real Tidus, yanking the man down to her level so she could hiss in his ear.

"You mean that's a complete stranger I sweet-talked?"

"No, that's my brother," Tidus said back as calmly as he could under the strain of his bending spine.

"Like I said! A complete stranger!"

The blonde man gave her a sour look and disentangled himself from her, calling to Shuyin, "So what am I doing?"

"You're covering for her for an hour and a half," the other answered without a beat.

"And why am I doing that?"

Shuyin only shrugged, "So that she won't rip your arm off?"

Tidus frowned and shook said arm loose from Rikku's death grip, turning back to her, "Alright, you've got an hour and a half."

She grinned widely, forgetting her embarrassment immediately as she raced to the door, ripping her coat off the rack and bolting out of the shop. A moment of silence passed, then Tidus strode after her, trying to tell her that she had neglected to take her apron off…but she was already gone.

Sighing, he returned to counter, nudging his brother out of the way, "So, you couldn't have resisted that, at least a little?"

Shuyin shrugged helplessly, walking to the customer side of the bar and leaning on the smooth wood, "I was ambushed, the only course of action was complete surrender."

Tidus narrowed his eyes at the man, "Wimp."

"What? It's not as if I'm actually paying for it."

"Yeah, because I am."

"Exactly," Shuyin chuckled, pleased with himself.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to do a little work in your life."

The cashier's brother made a sour face, "Oh but it would. My reputation as a ne'er do well would be ruined."

Tidus rolled his eyes, "It wouldn't hurt you to step into my shoes. Some honest work would make a man of you."

"And you're this symbol of manliness?"

The blonde cashier would have undoubtedly fired back something equally as sarcastic if the door to the back rooms had not chosen that moment to open, Lenne standing behind it.

"Oh, good morning Tidus…" she said softly, blinking as if trying to clear her double vision.

"Hey, Lenne," Tidus responded automatically. "How's it going?"

"Not too bad," said Lenne, also on auto-pilot as she stared in shock at Shuyin. "Could you spare a moment? I need some help in the back…"

"Sorry, but I'm—"

Shuyin chose that moment to vault over the unoccupied part of the bar, "Ready and willing, just show me the way."

"Oh…" she blinked, as if stunned that anyone could move as fast as he just did. "Thank you." Not knowing what else to say, she disappeared into the back.

Shuyin started to follow, but Tidus caught his sleeve, hissing, "What do you think you're doing?"

The blonde blitzer allowed himself a smirk, "Stepping into your shoes."

Tidus could only sigh helplessly as the door closed behind the two.

---

Yuna bit her lip savagely as she opened the door to the police station. It was all startlingly familiar, except, last time, her parents had held her hand and told her that it was alright. A few words to the receptionist and the girl took a seat.

She had to admit, she was surprised to receive a call from the station when the messy business of last year was over and done with. Case closed. Surprised, and absolutely and irrevocably terrified.

The horror was over, or so she had told herself daily for the past year. Those dark days would never be revisited, she would never have to feel like that every again. Her life was normal. She was alright. Everything was alright. She would live a normal life.

Sitting there at that moment, all her claims of safety seemed too shallow to be anything more than useless words.

She didn't have to wait long, no more than five minutes had passed before an officer came to attend to her, but those minutes felt like an eternity. Yuna noted faintly as she was being led that the officer was the one that had visited the shop everyday since she had arrived…Rikku had told her that that was unusual.

Yuna's grip on her purse's strap only increased. She was being watched.

Auron, she believed his name was, closed the door behind them, "Please, sit down."

Completely uncaring of her apparent discomfort, he proceeded to a file cabinet, leafing through it and leaving Yuna to stand stock still, unable to make herself obey him. After a moment he looked back at her, doing a small double take and smiling wryly as he took a seat at his desk.

"Or you can not, whichever you prefer, Miss Yuna."

This time, Yuna's legs bent and she sat in the chair, but her limbs were so stiff that it didn't look as if it gave her any comfort.

Auron's slight smile faded instantly, "Now, you undoubtedly know that you're here by no fault of your own."

Yuna nodded stiffly, forcing herself to swallow, waiting for him to go on.

"And you've probably guessed that this has something to do with the case from last year."

This time, the girl did not nod and simply waited.

"You're no longer a minor, Miss Yuna, so now I can tell you what the Besaid force could not," he paused and opened the file he had taken back with him. "The incident wasn't a burglary."

The young woman didn't trust herself to speak.

"You don't seem surprised."

"I'm not," Yuna spoke softly. "What thief breaks in and doesn't take anything?"

"What thief, indeed," Auron agreed, then his voice softened a small degree. "And what thief would kill two innocent adults in their sleep?"

She could only stare steadily at him, not trusting herself to speak.

"The truth is that it was a murder, and not just some random killing. Your father was brilliant, Miss Yuna, but his brilliance and discoveries made his fair share of enemies. They called him a heretic against Yevon even though his research clarified and outdated some of the more…barbaric acts in that field."

"But what has that to do with me?" Yuna asked shortly, the terror lurking at the back of her mind slowly beginning to surface.

"Everything," he sighed. "Your parents' murderer was never caught. The debate of the Yevon front is ever creeping in the direction your father set it in. This maniac has every reason to try to make you pay for your 'crimes.'"

"I've done nothing wrong!" said Yuna shrilly, standing.

Auron looked calmly up at her, "I'm not saying that you have, but, regardless of the fact that you've never participated in any of those debates, you are still at risk."

"But they would have no reason to kill me!"

"You are Braska's daughter, to this person, that could well be reason enough."

---

Tidus watched icily as his brother returned from a full hour in the back room, grinning like an idiot. "So," the cashier said, clearly looking for an explanation.

"So," Shuyin repeated, leaning against the counter, unperturbed.

The cashier sighed, it seemed he'd have to take the blunt route, "Touch her and I'll kill you. Slowly."

His brother cocked his head slowly, "Protective, are we?"

"Not normally," Tidus busied himself with a roll of bills. "But knowing your reputation…"

Shuyin rolled his eyes, "Half of my reputation is pure speculation, you of all people should know that."

"That also means that half of it is justified."

He sighed, "I know you won't believe me, Tidus, but Lenne is special. Too special for someone like me to mess around with."

Tidus paused at that and looked steadily at his brother. A few moments and Shuyin grew uncomfortable, a minute and he spoke.

"You know she's a singer."

"Yes," the cashier returned his the register.

"With how her voice sounds with just speaking, she's got real potential."

Tidus shut the register with a flourish and a bang, "Listen here, don't do her any favors. The last thing I want to see is her voice warped in one of those Luca stage shows."

Shuyin made a face, "I'm insulted you'd even say that. No, I'm talking real talent here."

"Real talent? And what does that mean?"

"It means that she carries with her a beautiful voice and the dignity to not strip off her clothes and dance pop music," Shuyin deadpanned.

The man rolled his eyes at his brother, "I thought the allusion to Luca would be enough without saying the reality."

"You know nine out of ten of those performers can't actually sing."

"Really?" asked Tidus. Despite his annoyance at the whole genre, his interest was piqued. "What about the Sphere Hunters?"

Shuyin let out a heart-felt groan and looked for a moment as if he were about to make the cross on his chest to ward off evil spirits, "Can't carry a note in a bucket."

"There seems to be more to this story."

"Suffice it to say that my agent thought it would be wonderful for the blitzer and the pop hit of the season to be seen together at a party."

"And how did that work out?" Tidus couldn't hide his curiosity now.

"The lead singer was only concerned with her costume, kept taking off pieces when it was too 'hot', the guitar player got quite drunk and confessed that the lead was dubbed and so was the guitar."

"What about the other one? The dark…what's-her-name."

"No personality, you notice that all she does for their songs is stand around with a tambourine?" He waited for Tidus's nod, then continued, "Well, that seems to be the only thing that she _can _do for the band. Their agent didn't want a duo, he wanted a trio so that the lead would be framed on all sides by equally scantily clad women, more symmetrical."

"So they just took someone off the streets?"

"Exactly."

Tidus arched an eyebrow, "Wow."

"Yeah," Shuyin sighed. "Altogether, they have the IQ and creativity of a potato."

"Now Shuyin, I didn't know you cared about a girl's intellect."

The man gave Tidus a sour look, "There has to be something there beyond physical appearance." He trailed off, then came back with fervor and excitement, "But Lenne, she has _real_ potential. I'm talking Bevelle Hall, Zanarkand Opera House potential."

The other couldn't resist a grin, but stopped short, "Why are you telling me this?"

"I know you told me not to interfere…"

"What did you do?"

"Nothing…yet," Shuyin pursed his lips. "A five minute call to my agent would be all it would take to get her started on her way."

Tidus looked away, his eyes lidded. Lenne was a singer, first and foremost, and her dream had always been the Zanarkand Opera House, whether as chorus or as main attraction, but the politics within had been enough to keep the girl at arm's length. To get in there you needed more than talent, you needed connections.

He opened his eyes, "Do it. Help her."

Shuyin's smile was genuine and Tidus, for a moment, truly felt at peace as part of a family he had long since given up hope on.

---

The walk home from the grocery store was always twice as long as the walk to it. For one thing, inordinate amounts of food had just been seen and one had to be crazy not to be hungry. And for another, the bags were heavy.

Tidus couldn't complain though, all the food he carried was the best money could buy (only because Shuyin was buying though) and at this very moment, his brother was curled up with a phone, setting up an audition for the cashier's long time friend.

With all that, who couldn't help feeling at least a little bounce in their step?

But whatever balloon of hope that had been inflated immediately got a puncture as he passed a rather familiar sobbing mass on the steps to the local precinct.

"Yuna?"

The girl jumped badly, looking up at him, her eyes large and red from crying, her nose running slightly and her cheeks flushed and splotchy. Not an appealing sight, it seemed she wasn't one of those girls that could cry and still be beautiful, but Tidus didn't care. The bags were immediately set down and he was kneeling in front of her in an instant.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't answer for a long moment, but then she launched herself into his arms, holding him so tightly that he was forced to lean against the railing to avoid falling down.

Seconds ticked by and Tidus only held her close, trying to calm her shivering, but then, so quiet he almost missed it, she spoke in his ear.

"_I'm scared_."

---

**Author's Notes: **Well, ahem, is that some storyline in there? I've never used one of those before! I've decided that the tragedy of Tidus is not enough to drive the story alone (romantic/dramatic/comedies…not my strong suit), so I'm pushing the story in a slightly new direction. Stay tuned to find out where it ends up.

Like it? Dislike it? Love it? Loathe it? I won't know until you tell me. Please leave a comment, suggestions are more than welcome if there's something you see me getting wrong, or something I need to do more, less, or not at all.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

Rose Northe


	8. The Angel Weeps

**Author's Note: **Time moves fast, doesn't it?

**Incurable Affection**

**Chapter Eight: The Angel Weeps**

"It's alright," Tidus soothed. Somehow it didn't seem sufficient. If she was driven to tears like this, there was nothing alright about it. Still, he had to say something.

"No," Yuna sobbed into his shoulder, "no."

The blonde couldn't even begin to understand what she was talking about. Ironically, all he could think of was how she would perhaps look when he died. Perhaps her grief for him would be equally powerful.

It was a selfish thought and he pushed it far from himself.

Tidus was suddenly acutely aware of how close she was pressed to him as she cried. He didn't mind in the least, but was surprised by the outburst. This emotional reaction was something that he had come to expect from Lenne and, at times, Rikku, but Yuna had not yet broken down in front of him.

He himself cried more than he should, he knew that, but each time he had cried in the past several years was in private, or in the company of someone that could comfort him. From what he knew of her, Yuna was a strong person, perhaps stronger than he could ever be.

Rikku had given him only sparse details of her cousin's reasons for moving to Zanarkand. He knew from experience that it was the perfect place to blend in. Years ago, he had wanted to disappear too.

Sitting there, Tidus played with the idea that Yuna and him were more alike than either realized. He tried (and sometimes failed) to put on a brave face. Jecht and Shuyin didn't bother him in the least, he liked to tell himself. But it was a lie and the pain of his father's disappointment and his brother's callousness returned. It was true that Tidus was ashamed of that part of himself, he longed to discard it all and never look back.

But he couldn't do that. Whether he liked it or not, that was part of him. If he ran to the ends of Spira, it would still return. Now it looked like whatever Yuna had been running from had caught up. As badly as he felt for her, Tidus couldn't help the small bit of pride that swelled in him. She chose to show this side of herself to him.

"Come on, let's get out of the cold," he murmured, trying to stand, but her arms were locked around his neck, preventing him from moving more than a foot. Tidus paused then, waiting for a reply from her. When nothing came, he sighed lightly.

"I'm scared," Yuna insisted.

"Of what?"

"Of…" her voice faltered and disappeared quickly.

"It's alright," Tidus said just as quickly, on an impulse. "I'll protect you."

The arms around his neck loosened just enough for the girl to pull back and look him in the eye. She was silent, but there was something like gratitude on her face.

It warmed him, even as they sat shivering on the steps. The feeling stayed with him as he led the girl away from town and to his apartment. She didn't speak, even when they passed the flat that Rikku and her shared. She only clung to his hand.

It was as if she trusted him.

---

"It is as you said, my Lord," Tromell drawled. "We have located the girl." He bowed as he came into the presence of his better.

"Excellent," Seymour Guado stood from his perch at the hotel room's desk. "You have done well. Your reward in the Farplane will surely be great."

Tromell's face remained expressionless, but the deep bow he sank into made it clear that the other man's words carried quite a bit of weight, "It is only because of you, my Lord. You told us that she was in Zanarkand and, lo and behold, here she is." His head raised a little, "If I may, how did you know?"

Seymour's mouth drew into what must have been meant to be a smile. It looked more like a snarl. He placed a finger on his lips, his words coming slowly, "The Pyreflies only talk to the worthy, Tromell."

The servant nearly gasped, worried that he had offended his master, and bowed his head again, "I should not have asked, my Lord. Forgive my impudence."

He turned to the long window and ran a hand through his long blue locks, "It is no matter. In any case, we will need to stay here longer." Seymour paused, then reached into a pocket and withdrew a golden card. He flicked it in Tromell's general direction, "There is no limit on that. Pay the room for a month."

Tromell scrambled to pick up the card, "That long, sir?" Getting a room at the Zanarkand Villa was all but impossible for a normal citizen…but keeping a room for a month…

"Yes, a month. This place is not bad and we will need time."

"Time, sir? But we already know where she is."

Seymour turned back to his servant, his eyes suddenly smoldering and a hand grabbing something beneath his suit's jacket, "Do you question me?"

"N-no!" Tromell cowered, fully aware of what was holstered beneath the fine pinstriped fabric. "Never, my Lord!"

The blue haired man abruptly calmed, returning his gaze to the window, "We need time, Tromell. It is not enough to kill her. Her father died and what did that serve us?" His smile returned, predatory and unsettling, "After all, it takes a long time to purify a sinner."

---

Shuyin was in the middle of warming up a can of soup on the stove when Tidus returned, that girl from the café in tow. From what he could see, the girl was greatly distressed, but his brother didn't give him much opportunity to see her at all.

Tidus entered, saw Shuyin and pulled the woman (Yuna, Shuyin remembered) swiftly into the other room.

It wasn't long until Tidus was back out in the kitchen and headed straight for his brother. Shuyin was glad to note that the man didn't look angry, or guilty in the case of him being the cause for her distress. If anything, he looked concerned, and that concern made his statements short and to the point.

"First of all, take the soup out of the can before you do that," Tidus grumbled.

Shuyin frowned and took the pan off the stove, the can falling over in it, "Couldn't find the can opener."

"Couldn't find it, or haven't had canned soup in years?"

"I resent that."

"Right now, I don't care," Tidus pinched the bridge of his nose briefly.

"What's wrong with Miss Yuna?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out and…"

"…you need me to clear out to do it."

"Exactly," he sighed.

Shuyin placed the pan, can and all, in the sink, taking the time to run cool water over it, "Does her crying have anything to do with you?"

"No!" Tidus burst out vehemently, then he seemed to consider what he had just said. "You…didn't tell her, did you?"

The other man looked over his shoulder, "I was wondering when you'd get around to that. And no, I didn't."

Tidus suddenly looked anxious, "What if she found out somehow?"

"I don't see how. Baralai…"

"My Physician's Assistant."

"Right. Your PA doesn't know about your love interest."

Tidus's neck reddened a shade at that, but he chose to say nothing.

Shuyin turned off the water and pulled his coat off the rack. He gestured vaguely toward the common room, "She's waiting for you."

"I know."

---

**Author's Note: **A rather short chapter for a very long wait. I apologize. I wanted to also let you, the reader, know that this story will be finished. It is true that I'm busier now than I ever have been, but I hate leaving things unfinished. I need to straighten out the plot (or lack thereof) and figure out where this fiction is going, but, that aside, another chapter will be up as soon as I find a spare moment.

Take care,  
RN


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